Shades of Gray
by DiamondFyre1
Summary: [AU] In a world where prejudice runs abound, people are forced to either take sides or lose all hope. But when a dark secret is revealed, two confused teenagers face the challenge of a lifetime, and they must depend on one another to complete it. InuKag
1. The Art of Deception

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own him.  
  
A/N: Hi! I know, I've been starting a lot of new stories lately, but don't worry, I'm not giving up on A Whole New World, but this plot has been bugging me for a long time. AWNW will be the next story to get an update. As for this fic, I need some advice. Give me your preference: This fic, or A Slice of Life? Whichever one you choose, the other is going on Hiatus until AWNW is finished.  
  
Before you start reading this, realize that A. not all chapters will be this short, and B. there's more to this then meets the eye. This isn't your usual tale of hanyou prejudice, this is something much worse and more vile. Oh, and contrary to what you see here, Kikyo is actually good in this story, or at least she's not evil. She's a bit like she is in the anime actually...  
  
VERY IMPORTANT: I searched this up to see if anybody else had a similar idea to this, and I found that someone had made a fic about gangs in a school called Black and White. I'd just like you to know now that I'm not plagiarizing that fic in any way, the plotlines couldn't be more different (for one, this has nothing to do with school). Then, as I was writing this, I remembered that Rozefire also wrote a fic with Hanyou as black and Human as white, and again, this fic. has nothing to do with that one either. The mention of the prophecy is sheer coincidence, you'll see as the plot goes on that the stories couldn't be more different (for one, hanyous and demons aren't discriminated against, people judge on something different and much more stupid).  
  
Chapter One  
  
Acceptance  
  
The brilliant rays of the sun filtered through the enormous green leaves resting peacefully atop the magnificent giants of the forest. A hummingbird could barely be seen flitting about in the background, chirping to an invisible beat that only it could make out as it shared its melody with natural world. A calm seemed to envelop the scene as a whole, as he rushing waters of a narrow creek slid silently through the trees, making their way toward lands beyond that she'd always wanted to follow. The sounds of the forest interrupted the peace every so often, but in actuality they were more reassuring then pure silence. It was an absolutely breathtaking day, the sort of day you only have the pleasure of seeing in fairy tales.  
  
She wasn't in a fairy tale, but she would've given everything she had to participate in one. Life here was just too cruel, too unfair, and much too prejudiced for anybody's good. The old woman sighed and rested her weary head on calloused fingers, breathing in the crisp scent of the morning air. She'd left earlier that morning to escape from the constant bickering that was sure to ensue at least a few times during the course of the day. It was almost routine now, why should today be any different? Life here was so tedious and petty, why did so few just try to forgive and forget? Why would something that occurred so long ago feel the need to affect people even today? Why wouldn't anybody just understand that it was all in the past, let it go, and move on with their lives?  
  
'They're brainwashed,' she thought dismally, pulling her legs up onto a hollow log so she was laying face up on its surprisingly smooth surface, staring in rapture at the unique cloud formations above her. She was sure she'd never seen these particular swirling patters, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were trying to communicate with her.  
  
"Oh, that's it, I've had enough," she scowled darkly, burrowing her head into the fragrant petals that lay crushed in her smooth hand. "This has all gone on for FAR too long," she mustered up a very miniscule bit of strength and pulled herself to her frail feet, her long blue dress billowing behind her as she swept around to face the golden rays of the sun, shielding her eyes from its glare with the back of her hand.  
  
"After all these years, all these centuries where Black and White have loathed one another, somebody needs to make them see. Somebody needs to bring them back to their senses, make them understand how ridiculous it's all been from the start".  
  
She pushed a fragile hand up her voluminous sleeve, pulling out a simple golden mirror with a delicate golden trim dancing across its silver rim. The glass, which seemed to be tinted in blue, swirled for a moment before revealing the picture of a group of girls, girls unlike anything she'd ever laid eyes on. They were all clothed in the same fashion, and their uniforms looked a bit like sailor suits. She couldn't help but chuckle, for seeing such things was quite rare in her immediate environment. The girls were ensnared in a fit of laughter, grins apparent on all their faces and brown eyes crinkled in humor.  
  
'But which one?' she mused softly, mulling over her choices. She glanced at each of the girls in turn, but for the life of her couldn't choose one from the other. Suddenly her eyes fell upon one she hadn't noticed before, one who seemed to stand out from the others for some unidentifiable reason. Her chocolate brown eyes seemed to sparkle as she laughed, her dark, raven hair flowing in layers over her shoulders as they shook in her mirth. The older woman touched a worn fingertip to the mirror where the girl lay chuckling and she allowed a small smile to grace her dry lips.  
  
"She'll do perfectly. After all this time, I've finally found the one who can complete my quest, even if I'm too old and frail to do so," she collapsed to her knees when she felt the throbbing pain in her side as it threatened to overcome her.  
  
"I don't have much time left, I must," she wheezed, trembling in the weariness of her old age. "I must finish the prophecy. If I don't, all hope of even partial equality will be lost forever, and society is eternally doomed to this life of hate and greed. I must stop it, I MUST finish the prophecy".  
  
~*~  
  
Higurashi Kagome bounded down the staircase with a bright smile upon her rosy cheeks and a lighthearted bounce in her step. Her raven black hair flew behind her as she swooped down to grab her soft yellow schoolbag, and she flung herself into a rickety chair to gobble down her breakfast as quickly as humanly possible. After a few minutes of stuffing corn puffs into her mouth, she glanced at the clock, gasping as she saw that time was catching up to her, and it was way too close for comfort. Stumbling to her feet, she swung her backpack over her back and made to bolt out the doorway when her mother ran softly into the kitchen, urgency written on her face.  
  
"Kagome!" she called. "Wait!"  
  
"Oh, hey mom," Kagome smiled warmly and went to give her mom a quick peck on the cheek before racing back toward the doorway. Her hand reached for the handle, and she was almost thundering down the streets toward her bus stop when her mother's next words made her stop dead in her tracks.  
  
"Your Valiquer School of Arts letter arrived late last night! I didn't want to wake you, but I figured you'd want to know if you got in," her mother trailed off softly, leaving a gaping Kagome to whirl around and dash toward her mother.  
  
"Seriously? Let me see!" she squealed excitedly, but her mother shook her head teasingly.  
  
"Nope, you've got a bus to catch. And you'd better hurry up about it, the bus leaves in about five minutes," her mother admonished, turning Kagome in the direction of the doorway before calmly strolling toward the kitchen table to begin the mind numbing process of folding laundry.  
  
"But mom, it's like the last week of high school!" Kagome whined pleadingly. "Come on, this is much more important!"  
  
"Oh Kagome, nothing's more important then your education," her mother stated matter of factly, before shooing Kagome back toward the direction of her bus. "Now run along".  
  
Kagome sighed before gloomily letting herself through the sliding door, her books thumping against her back. She glanced back at the clock one last time and cursed as she realized there was almost no way she could possibly make it now. She'd have to run, and she'd have to run fast.  
  
She raced down the sidewalk toward the bright yellow school bus that stood honking a couple blocks down her street, and she flung herself through the double doors before the bus had the opportunity to make its departure without her. As the engine roared to life, she skimmed the aisles until she found a seat next to her best friend Yuka. Her eyes lit up and she dove into the seat with a lighthearted grin toward the short- haired beauty.  
  
"Hey Yuka! You won't believe it!" Kagome shouted enthusiastically, trying to suppress her excitement. Yuka, who had been having a very boring week in the gossip section, quickly spun her head toward the obviously ecstatic Kagome.  
  
"What?" she whispered earnestly, expecting to hear all the latest about Kagome's newest boy problems, but lowered her head in disappointment at Kagome's next words.  
"The letter to the art school is here! I'll find out by the end of the day if I'm accepted or not! Isn't it great?" she squealed in excitement, unable to bare the anxious agony of waiting for an entire day.  
  
"Oh, yeah it's great," Yuka gave a sickly smile, and Kagome hurriedly turned her ecstasy into concern for her dear friend.  
  
"What's wrong Yuka?" she asked curiously, and Yuka turned to Kagome with a sad smile gracing her full lips.  
  
"Aw, Kag. It's just that you're going to that old art school, and I wanted you and ME to go to college together. If you're accepted, then we'll probably never see each other again! Do you really want that?" Yuka mumbled somberly before turning to the window and crossing her arms underneath her in a fit of gloom. Kagome blinked a few times before taking a deep breath and doing her best to be honest with her friend, but choosing the route with the least possible consequences.  
  
"Of COURSE I don't want that Yuka," Kagome consoled her reassuringly. "But I DO want to make something of myself in this world, and this school can put me on the right track. I can be an artist, you know that's what I've always wanted!" she cooed happily, before hurriedly straightening up when she realized how much this was affecting her best friend. "But I can still visit during the holidays, and I promise to write and take my laptop everywhere I go," she smiled warmly at Yuka. "If our friendship is strong enough, then distance isn't all that important".  
  
Yuka looked at Kagome through teary eyes and gave a sad smile before wiping away the tiny droplets that clouded her cheeks. "Yes, you're right of course. We'll still be as close as ever," she tucked her pleated hair behind her ears before enveloping Kagome in a small hug, which Kagome quickly returned. The two embraced for a few moments before the bus pulled to the front of Tama High with a rather undignified snort, and the students raced for the exits with glee. After all, their very last day of high school was only a week away from arrival.  
  
~*~  
  
"Y-you," she snarled angrily, pushing her injured body to weary feet, her entire being shaking with anger and sorrow. "How COULD you?" she pointed an accusing finger at him. "HOW COULD YOU BETRAY ME?" she wailed, barely keeping her balance.  
  
"K-kikyo, I'm sorry, I never meant to betray you. It's just that I really cared about you, and I knew that if you figured out the truth then you'd want nothing to do with me. I was being selfish, and I'm sorry," he hung his head dejectedly. "But I thought you'd understand now, I thought you'd changed! I thought we both had!" he cried out desperately, clinging to the single hope that she'd understand, that she'd find it in her heart to forgive him and they could put it behind them and move on with their lives together.  
  
No such luck.  
  
"SILENCE! HOW DARE YOU SOIL ME WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS!" she roared, her long, thick raven hair flinging tears in every direction. "I trusted you Inuyasha, I truly did. How could you?" she seethed, finding it difficult to yell through her tears. Inuyasha saw this and reached out a tender hand for her shoulder, but she batted it away with a yelp.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME, FOOL!" she screamed in anguish, collapsing to her knees in a fit of weary anger. "Just- just stay away from me," she whispered quietly, and Inuyasha turned a shade of white as the dreaded words began to sink in.  
  
"Why, Kikyo? Why does it matter so much?" he asked tenderly, reaching a clawed hand toward her to pull her to her feet, but she didn't even acknowledge the gesture.  
  
"Fool. You know as much as I do that we cannot be. We are not MEANT to be, we are two entirely separate races. It cannot work. And before you say that it may, I do not intend to condone such a vile act either. You BETRAYED me Inuyasha, and I can never forgive you for it," she pulled herself up to shaky legs, letting her hands rest on the scratchy wooden bark of a nearby tree to steady herself. With a final glance back at the hanyou that stood in obvious confusion behind her, his bangs covering his eyes in severe depression, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret for her actions, but she knew it was for the best. She couldn't back down, people were counting on her to make the right decisions. She would never fail them.  
  
'No, no I must. My people have always come first in my eyes, and this is no different. I will not betray them this way'.  
  
~*~  
  
"Kagome!" Souta stated the obvious as the paper thin door to the shrine slid into place behind them, revealing an anxious raven haired girl. She walked over with a giggle and ruffled the boy's hair a bit, before piping up as to what had plagued her mind for the better part of the day.  
  
"Hey Souta, is mom home yet?" she asked earnestly. "I want to open my letter to the art school! Oh gods, I hope I got in," she unconsciously raised her hand to her lip, biting on her nails in anxiety. "Oh Souta, what will I do if I didn't?" she wailed unhappily, and Souta couldn't help but let out a chortle at his sister's predictable antics.  
  
"Oh please Kagome, I'm sure you'll get in. You're a brilliant artist!" Souta exclaimed cheerfully, patting his sister's scrawny arm in reassurance.  
  
"Thanks Souta," she ruffled his hair again. "But I'm wondering if you're saying that because you REALLY think me to be a brilliant artist or because you saw those chocolate chip cookies I was carrying home yesterday," she laughed at the guilty look on Souta's face and gestured to a nearby kitchen cabinet.  
  
"I put them in there, help yourself. I'm much too excited to eat anyhow," she couldn't help but grin as the boy squealed with glee before raiding the cabinet of every last cookie crumb it held.  
  
'He's so easy to please,' she shook her head with a laugh, then left the boy to ravenously gobble down his food in exchange for a more pressing activity.  
  
"Mom?" Kagome ran toward her mother's bedroom door, flinging it open only to find that, to her disappointment, the only thing absent from the room was mother dearest herself.  
  
"MOM!" Kagome cried out anxiously. "UGH! Where is she?" she pouted angrily. "Just when I need her too-,".  
  
"Did you want something darling?" a knowing voice piped up behind her, and Kagome's customary good mood was instantly slid back into place as she turned to face her mother apprehensively.  
  
"WELL?" Kagome asked excitedly, her heart thudding loudly in her chest as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, her smile turning to a scowl when her mother feigned a confused look.  
  
"Well what?" she asked in fake curiosity, and Kagome rolled her eyes in agitation.  
  
"MOM!" she wailed nervously, switching her weight from one foot to the other upon the solid wooden floor, and her mother couldn't help but giggle.  
  
"KAGOME!" she shouted back with just as much vigor, giggling harder when she saw her beloved daughter roll her eyes a second time.  
  
"Oh come on mom, please? I've been waiting all day," she gave her mother an irresistible puppy eyed look which nobody had ever been able to defy, her mother included. Conceding to her daughter's request, she reached into her the pocket of her dusty blue jeans before pulling out a slightly crumpled envelope.  
  
"Sorry about that," her mother expressed a half-hearted apology, at the moment much more interested in the contents of the letter. "I guess I got caught up in my spring cleaning," she trailed off, looking at the letter in earnest and then back at her trembling daughter, who seemed to be chewing on her lip in her anxiety.  
  
"I dunno, mom, should I?" she asked worriedly, and her mother nodded with a laugh.  
  
"If you don't then there's no way you can attend that school of yours. Open it!" she urged profusely. "The suspense is killing me!"  
  
With shaking hands, Kagome's delicate fingers trimmed the fold of the envelope until the letter was sitting in her immediate reach, but she just couldn't bring herself to lift it out of its imprisonment. Shaking her head, she held out the envelope to her mom.  
  
"You do it mom, please?" she begged, and while normally her mother would have refused and said this was a job for Kagome herself, she was getting too curious about the contents of the letter to let it remain secret for even a second more. She snatched the envelope out of her daughter's hands and ripped the letter from the envelope with such a speed that it was a wonder the thing hadn't split in two. Seeing her daughter's reproving look, she carefully unfolded the letter, skimming its contents with a slight smile gracing her cheeks.  
  
"Ooh, this looks bad hun," she grimaced, causing Kagome's face to fall in disappointment.  
  
"O-oh," she whispered quietly, her voice shaking a bit. "I didn't get in?" she looked up at her mother with a tear resting on the corner of her eyelid. Oh, how she had wanted this...  
  
"No, no it's not that. The tuition is incredibly expensive, and term starts in only two weeks," her mother scoffed. "Not much of a summer break then, is it?"  
  
The cloud around Kagome's face seemed to dissipate in mere moments as she turned a gaze of wonderment and awe toward her mother. Could she really dare to hope?  
  
"You, you mean I," she trailed off, not wanting to dash her hopes completely by finishing the sentence and making it concrete.  
  
"Yes Kagome," her mother laughed joyfully at the enlightened look upon her daughter's face. "YOU'RE IN!"  
  
A/N: So, what do you think? Review please, I have a lot of ideas for this story, and I want to know if I should continue. 


	2. Whirlpool

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Inuyasha. Wish I did though..  
  
A/N: I'm sorry!!!!!! To all you who read AWNW (or this, though there are very few), I'm sorry about the lack of update! It's just that, for whatever reason, I just couldn't get myself motivated to write, and even when I tried I found I suffered a severe case of writer's block. Honestly, this chapter took almost a week to write, and I for one, think it sucks. But at least it's a chapter, right?  
  
It may take me awhile to update AWNW, or even this again, but bare with me. I promise to finish eventually.  
  
Shades of Grey  
  
Whirlpool  
  
"Please state your name, miss," the authoritative voice stated brusquely, impatiently twiddling his fingers over the long list of names held loosely under his fidgeting palms. Idly he ran his fingers through his smooth chocolate hair, only barely keeping his circular glasses from sliding down his crooked nose before turning back to glance at the slightly agitated young woman standing before him, her hands applying a bit too much force to the granite countertop. He could already tell that she would be one of their more rebellious students (if you could call them that), and he mentally groaned. A feisty student was the last thing their school needed; they had already reached their quota for about the next five years about half an hour ago when the last girl showed up. He really needed to remind the board to start taking more care in screening their applicants.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi," she tapped her foot impatiently as the man scanned the list of names before giving her a nod of approval and disappearing below the countertops for a moment. Confused, she rose up on tip-toe, attempting to spy on the man's latest endeavors, but her efforts were silenced when he almost immediately sprung up from below, clutching a small package in his palm.  
  
"This is for you, miss Kagome," she vaguely wondered if it was even possible for a voice to sound more bored, but she decided to keep the sentiment to herself for (it seemed) the first time in her life. She had done her mother proud...  
  
"Here are your rooming assignments, Miss Kagome. You'll be staying in Dorm 17, room 249 to be precise, with a veteran of ours, Kanna Tanaka," he handed her a small slip of golden brown paper which the young woman assumed to be a map of some kind, though she couldn't make it out to even the remotest of degrees. Shrugging, she turned her attention on the paper wrapped package that was thrust into her hand only moments later without even a word of acknowledgement.  
  
"Excuse me sir, but-what is this?" she gestured toward the scrappily wrapped package with the "Fed-Ex" logo identifying the crude wrapping job and turned her gaze toward the Harry Potter look-a-like, who gave her a knowing smirk in return.  
  
"Ahhh, I see you're unfamiliar with our customs," he clicked his tongue patronizingly at her, causing her to wince in slight revulsion. "Just think of it as a welcome gift Miss Kagome; I assure you, they're given out to everybody," he turned back toward the countertop, clearly dismissing their conversation as he waved her toward the entrance. "Now run along, Miss Kagome, I haven't the time nor the patience to deal with bewildered teens such as yourself. I, unlike you, am an accomplished individual full of hopes, dreams, and hopefully a large checkbook which won't be filled unless you give me the necessary time to complete my tasks. Understand?" she nodded slowly, biting back a nasty retort.  
  
'But isn't that what he's HERE for? Some "advisor",' she chuckled inwardly before meekly nodding and heading in the direction of the doorway from which she had emerged only minutes earlier, her small tan heels clicking monotonously on the tile as she announced her departure with a curt good- bye before disappearing from the man's sight. He couldn't deny that he was slightly relived, there was just something strange about that girl that was difficult to put one's finger on. Not, to say, that the rest of the school's population wasn't strange as well, because, well, they were. But this one seemed slightly unlike the rest, and as much as it intrigued him, it unnerved him to no end. He swore to find out more about this girl...  
  
As soon as he was done with this next game of Spider Solitaire...  
  
Kagome wandered aimlessly down the corridors, anxious for even a single friendly face to help direct her through the vast uncharted territory to her humble little Dorm 17. But the students seemed to be scurrying about in a rush, their heads kept low to the ground and focused intently on their shoes. Though she'd heard it was normal for college students to be a bit overworked (and therefore have the tendency to scurry about like ants), this just....wasn't normal. They seemed surreal, as if they were under some sort of entrancement.  
  
Shrugging off the uneasy feeling gathering around her shoulders, she leapt from one open spot to another, trying to avoid the silent hordes of students blocking her immediate path.  
  
'I am sooo lost,' she sighed helplessly before deciding the best course of action would be to find human help. But the students looked more like drones then people, and she doubted any of them would be able to supply her with a decent set of directions. Deciding that testing her luck may be her only hope, she timidly tapped one of the less somber looking students on the shoulder and received the familiar greeting of a stony glare.  
  
"Yes?" the sandy haired girl asked flippantly, her tone laced with thick annoyance. Her piercing blue eyes focused intently on Kagome's own, and it took the girl a few seconds to shake off the intimidating glower.  
  
"Uh, hi," she shuffled her feet awkwardly. "I-I'm new here, and I'm trying to find Dorm 17. Can you, by any chance, give me some directions?" she asked hopefully, trying to incorporate a puppy-eyed look into her speech, but knowing even as she spoke that she was failing miserably.  
  
The seemingly apathetic girl seemed immersed in thought for a moment as she absentmindedly smoothed out her knee-length pale blue skirt before turning back to the slightly younger student. "Dorm 17? You're one of THEM, then," her voice held a sour tinge, but Kagome knew better then to question it. "Dorm 17 is just outside of this building and to the left a little ways. You can't miss it, there's a big honking sign over it that reads DORM 17 in enormous letters. I don't even know why I'm bothering with someone who's obviously illiterate if you didn't notice something as obvious as that," her voice took a scornful turn before she gathered her schoolbooks in her arms and flounced away with the rest of the herd, shooting Kagome dirty glances over her shoulder as she did so.  
  
Kagome shrugged, obviously confused. 'What the heck is her problem?' she shifted uncomfortably under the silence that seemed to envelop the entire building like a mute blanket, and she decided it would be best to find her dorm and settle in before worrying about the odd behavior of her new classmates.  
  
Her footsteps pounded steadily on the dry tile as she made her way toward the double doors and swung them open with a light push of her palm. A warm smile lit up her face as she let scents of the trees invade her nostrils, and the whisper of the brisk morning air softly caress her skin. She remained still for a moment, transfixed in the early morning splendor, before snapping out of her trance and softly treading down the damp pathway, nervously clutching the crude package tightly against her slight frame. Trying to soothe her anxious nerves, she took a moment to appreciate the stunning scenery surrounding her. The few trees sprouted up from the ground at random intervals, each tree bearing unique golden brown leaves which marked the upcoming autumn. Wildflowers were strewn across luscious green fields, and an intricate fountain in the shape of a strikingly gorgeous mermaid stood proudly in the middle of a clearing, the sheen painting shining as if it'd been completed only yesterday. For all Kagome knew, it had.  
  
Just as the student had said, a monstrous building stood just to the left of the school, bearing a rather large sign stating her exact location on its flat rooftop. Feeling a little humbled, Kagome pushed open the glassy double doors to reveal a cozy looking lobby full of squishy armchairs and a blaring television set. It looked like an ideal place to study or just enjoy a snack, and Kagome was positive she'd be seeing a lot of this lounge.  
  
Except...it was completely empty.  
  
Not one student sat munching Cheez-Its on the couch, and not a single soul sat drenched in sweat, furiously cramming for upcoming exams. The place looked positively deserted, and the uneasy feeling that had been bothering Kagome all day flew back into perspective, settling deep within her stomach with a jolt.  
  
'Well it is a Friday. They're probably at a dorm party or something, and it really isn't anything to get freaked out over,' she reassured herself inwardly, timidly making her way to the shiny metal elevator doors which lay elegantly behind a checkered armchair.  
  
She pushed the button and eagerly waited for the double doors to allow her access to her new future. 'I wonder what my roommate will be like,' she speculated as the doors parted to allow her entrance. The interior of the elevator was nothing impressive, just a standard golden colored bar for leaning on and a velvety red surface coating the metal flesh to make the scene appear more aesthetically pleasing to an untrained eye.  
  
A small tingling noise sounded above the young teenager, and she reluctantly ended her train of thought to allow herself access to the hall before her. The doorways stood before her in a sold line down the corridor, and she hesitantly made her way down it until she finally reached her destination: Room 249. Fumbling around in her pockets, she withdrew a paper thin room key, given to her by the very man who had so kindly "welcomed" her to the school to begin with.  
  
She swiped the key through the doorway's slot with ease, and stood back with satisfaction as the red light hurriedly switched over to green. Pressing lightly against the warm, silver handle, she lightly pushed upon the door, nudging it open until she knew she could easily slip in unnoticed. She didn't want to create too much attention if her roommate was sleeping, or maybe even studying, though so far all studying activities had seemed practically nonexistent here.  
  
"Hello?" she called out apprehensively as she stepped in to admire the tastefully done room before her. Elegant paintings lined the walls and rich, flowered carpeting bristled softly under her feet. She padded softly down the hallway until she reached what she assumed to be the bedroom, as two fancy medieval comforters lay draped over two simple twin beds, and Kagome raced toward them as if she were a small child again, leaping into a pile of freshly raked leaves. The springs bounced a little under her weight as she collapsed upon one of the mattresses, obviously exhausted. She giggled with delight as she continued to bounce upon the squishy mattress, and she became so caught up in her childish antics that she failed to notice the small presence enter the room and calmly make its own way to the other mattress, lightly sinking upon it with elegant charisma.  
  
"Care to quit it? That infernal giggling is going to drive me crazy," a quiet voice floated through Kagome's ears and her chocolate eyes fluttered open to locate the source of the sound. Her gaze fell upon the other mattress, where a girl no older then she sat primly, her hands folded neatly in her lap and her legs crossed beneath her in an obviously feminine gesture. Her skin was unnaturally pale, so much that Kagome had to wonder if she was even human, and her hair was dyed pale white, which Kagome thought added to the vaporous feel of the girl, though she'd never admit it aloud. She was clad in a long, flowing white dress, and Kagome was beginning to ponder whether or not the girl was albino when suddenly she rose, allowing Kagome to get a good glimpse at her height. In truth, she was much shorter then Kagome herself and obviously much more frail, as her legs barely appeared thicker then twigs, let alone thick enough to support a full grown college student.  
  
"So, I see you're new here," she attempted to smile, and Kagome decided that it was an action the girl didn't often partake in, as the smile felt hollow and empty, as if void of any actual emotion. She stuck out a bony wrist, anticipating the return of Kagome's own tanned wrist as she shook it lightly. "Welcome then, I'm Kanna Tanaka. I hope you'll enjoy it here, yatta, yatta, yatta. Now save me the trouble and get outta here then, shall you?" she attempted a playful wink, another hauntingly apathetic gesture.  
  
"Get outta here?" Kagome asked blankly, curling her legs up under her in preparation for a long conversation with her new roommate. Granted, she wasn't what she expected, but there was no reason that the two couldn't eventually become close companions. Maybe Kagome was exactly what the girl needed to draw her out of her shell, and she couldn't cease her wondering regarding why the girl seemed so... empty. Besides, a new challenge was just what the young woman needed, and she certainly felt up to it.  
  
The ghostly girl scoffed before sinking back down upon the medieval patterns, landing upon the helmet of a particularly irritated knight. "You know what I'm implying here, don't you? Get going already! Most people don't dawdle you know; I know I didn't. Just use your portal and...," she was interrupted by the obviously confused girl sitting across from her.  
  
"The portal? What are you talking about? And do you know when we get our schedules?"  
  
Now it was Kanna's turn to appear confused. "Schedules?"  
  
Kagome cocked her head curiously at the girl. How could she not know what "schedules" were? It wasn't exactly advanced vocabulary... "You know, schedules. Class listings. For...school," she finished lamely when she saw the dry look Kanna was giving her. "What? That IS what we're here for, isn't it?"  
  
A hollow chuckle filled the room, growing increasingly louder as Kagome stared warily at the girl before her, who seemed to be clutching her sides in strained laughter. 'She definitely needs to get some Ovaltine,' she thought dryly as the girl continued her attempted laughter. Kagome waited patiently until her giggles subsided and the ghostly girl fell flat on her back, her arms and legs causing the comforter to wrinkle around her, and Kagome fought the urge to laugh at the image of a knight desperately attempting to escape from a particularly vengeful princess. Biting her lip, she stared cautiously at Kanna, who seemed to be trying to pull herself together. Using her frail palms to hoisther into her original prim position, she stared tranquilly at Kagome before proceeding to speak.  
  
"You don't know, do you? You honestly don't know...," she trailed off with a chuckle. "You're one of the first I've seen in years".  
  
"Know what?" Kagome asked fervently, her voice tinged with anxiety. "What are you on about?"  
  
"All right, where to begin," Kanna sighed slowly, her expression once again serious, and Kagome seriously doubted whether or not she'd imagined the laughter erupting from her lips only moments ago, because at this particular moment, she looked incapable of any sort of laughter.  
  
"First of all, you aren't at an arts school," she paused to let the words sink in to Kagome, who seemed to pale for a second before letting out a nervous giggle.  
  
"What are you talking about? This is Valiquer School of Arts, isn't it? Of course it's an art school!" her voice sounded shaky, however, and it sounded more as if she were trying to reassure herself then anything.  
  
'But then again,' she cringed inwardly. 'Remember what Yuka was telling you the day before you left? She kept going on about curses and unidentified happenings here, but it's all nonsense anyway. Besides, you hear rumors about college students on crack cocaine all the time, and this one probably isn't any different'.  
  
"No, it's not," Kanna stated simply. "That's only an alibi, a pseudo image we use to keep the government from finding us. All of our inhabitants know of our identity of course, most before they arrive. It is quite, unusual," she coughed, though Kagome could sense the patronizing tone behind it, "that you were not informed".  
  
A wave of shock passed across Kagome's face, though it was immediately replaced by an expression of pure pity. This girl was obviously insane, and Kagome thought it would be best to just humor her and allow her an outlet to her frustration. "All right, so if this isn't an art school, what is it then? A karate dojo?" she attempted to keep the cynical sarcasm absent from her voice, and it worked to a degree, though she knew she couldn't avoid it completely. This was just too absurd not to be scoffed at.  
  
"No," Kanna sighed patiently before glaring at the silent laughter she saw growing in the girl's throat. "It's made, oh, how can I explain this?" she let out a groan of frustration. "All right, this isn't very easy to put into words, but I'll do the best that I can," she took a shaky breath before continuing. "Humans are not born with set destinies, contrary to popular belief. They have the freedom to conquer their desires, achieve their dreams, and fate will not stand in their way. Do you follow so far?" she asked patronizingly, and Kagome nodded with a roll of her chocolate eyes.  
  
"Good. Now, this is the standard in MOST cases. However," she paused dramatically. "There are exceptions to the rule. Some of us, such as you or I, were selected before birth to complete our own destinies. We were not meant to live ordinary human lives, Kagome. We were specifically chosen to aide the other worlds, and we all must comply with our duties, or forever be haunted by what we could have done to prevent the certain destruction of them. This isn't done by choice, and we have no say in the matter. This is done out of duty and nothing else. Emotions can't stand in your way, and neither can your desires. This is an absolute necessity, Kagome, and that's why this school was built. A select group of government employees, who of course, keep this under wraps from the rest of the government, track down the chosen ones and notify their parents before their birth. We are brought up with the desire to attend this school, instilled in us by our parents at a young age. Then, just before we set off on our new, ordinary futures, they are to spring the truth on us, and tell us of our true identities. We are sent here to complete them, and you, Kagome, are the newest among us. Welcome," she finished breathlessly, staring icily at Kagome to see if she'd absorbed her words. Kagome seemed entranced for a moment, staring listlessly ahead before suddenly snapping out of her trance and swiveling her head to face Kanna's own penetrating gaze.  
  
"Kanna... I," she trailed off in disappointment, lowering her head to keep from being forced into seeing Kanna's eyes. "Kanna, I'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to believe it. The government always finds out about this sort of thing, and I'm sure that if any such thing were going on, the government would eventually discover and put a stop to it. And "other worlds"? Destinies? It all just sounds like a bunch of fairy tale rubbish to me, Kanna, and while I'm sorry, I just can't bring myself to accept something like that," she finished with a dry chuckle.  
  
To her surprise, Kanna's voice remained as emotionless as ever as she surveyed the reluctant girl before her. "Do as you wish, Kagome, but I urge you to do one thing," Kagome lifted her head from her lap, her dubious gaze captivated by Kanna's pleading one.  
  
"What would that be?" she asked warily, wondering idly if it was something preposterous like jumping down a pipe to see if it were some sort of intergalactic portal.  
  
"Unwrap it," she commanded firmly, her gaze traveling to the crudely wrapped package lain forgotten by Kagome's side. Ensnared in her powerful gaze, Kagome nodded numbly, her fingers clumsily fumbling with the oddly shaped package before tearing the wrapping from its surface and allowing the tan strips of paper to drift listlessly to the floor.  
  
When the last piece of paper floated to the soft carpeting below, Kagome took a good look at her newfound treasure, turning it over in her hands and allowing them to roam it in order to get a feel for its texture. The smooth golden surface felt pleasant beneath her wandering hands, and a surprising, yet vaguely comforting, reassuring feeling seemed to seep into her touch and flow through her veins like an electric jolt.  
  
"It... It's a mirror," her brow furrowed in confusion, though she didn't continue her sentiments due to her preoccupation with the extraordinary object. Indeed, that's exactly what she was holding in the palm of her smooth, delicate hands; A mirror, its reflection showing naught but a swirling blue mist flying carelessly in its center, drawing the holder to it, as if it were the missing piece of a puzzle meant to satisfy them all their lives. Surrounding the strange whirlpools was a stunning golden trim made with artificial autumn leaves intertwined all around the strange new treasure. A slender silver rim outlined the entire mirror, so soft and fragile that you felt you could easily break through it if you desired, but its magnificent beauty kept any from doing so. She whipped the mirror around to allow the back to face her, and gasped as she saw the inscription carved into the silky gold.  
  
Third time's the charm  
  
'Now what could that mean?' Kagome pondered, vigorously trying to come up with answers to her countless questions. 'And why did they give me this? A mirror? I was expecting something more like a set of paints or something of that sort, and this is just a little too strange," she kept her jumbled thoughts inward, as she knew Kanna would just come up with some ridiculous theory that could answer all her questions, but still leave her trapped in the mystifying darkness.  
  
"Well, touch it," Kanna crossed her twig-then arms smugly beneath her shoulders, and Kagome could've sworn she saw a smirk pass her ethereal lips as she gestured toward the mirror with a nod of her head, her hair clouding around her pale cheeks as she did so. "Come on, what's there to lose? If you truly don't believe me, then touch it!" she finished indignantly, and Kagome cocked her head in confusion, certainly not for the first time since her arrival.  
  
"Touch it? But... I am touching it," she averted her gaze back to the unusual item in front of her, for she could never keep from staring at its churning blue waves for long. She felt as if she were under a spell and forced to watch as the whirlpools of mist dug deeper into the mirror's surface, journeying on a voyage that Kagome hadn't the slightest insight into. She stared back at Kanna, who by this point was scowling, an emotion which Kagome thought appeared much more valid upon the girl's pale lips then the rare smiles, and tapping her petite foot in impatience.  
  
"Touch the reflection, Kagome. Ah wait, before you do, I realize that this is the most cliché thing in the universe, and when you arrive you'll probably run around saying "This is just a dream" and pinching yourself or whatever else. So for all our sakes, Kagome, don't waste time. It's not a dream, nor will it ever be a dream, and you'd be advised to forget your childish notions and complete the task set. The mirror can be used both ways, of course, so you needn't worry about being eternally trapped or something like that. Well, I think I've finished my rambling, and since you seem so insistent on trying my patience, I think I may need to give you a little head start," in a flash, she had appeared next to Kagome on her mattress, grabbing a tanned wrist with one of her own, pale ones and shoving it toward the mirror. Kagome was astonished at the girl's strength, but she figured it no match for her own and struggled to get out of the girl's grip, but surprisingly, her efforts were to no avail.  
  
She twisted and writhed a bit more, but nothing seemed to work, and her outstretched fingers were drawing closer to the mirror's reflection every second. "Kanna?" she asked urgently. "Kanna, I want to go home. I don't know what's wrong with this place, but I desperately want to leave it, and I'd appreciate it if you'd let go of me. Kanna!! KANNA?" she finished frantically as she saw her fingers were only centimeters away from their doom. She may not believe in all of this nonsense, but that didn't keep her from fearing the worst. 'What if it is true?' she clamped her shaking eyes shut tightly, and attempted a shrill scream, only to feel the scream lodge itself in her throat. 'Oh gods, what if it is true? I – I just wanted to be an artist!' silent tears shed faithlessly in her brain, and Kagome felt her fingers caress the ocean tinted waves of the despicable mirror at last.  
  
"Good-bye, Kagome," Kanna smiled sweetly, her smile as empty as ever as she waved to her newfound friend currently being dragged deeper into the depths of time. "Good luck". 


	3. Arrival

Disclaimer: If Inuyasha were mine, would I be writing FANfiction?  
  
A/N: Hey! Here's another update, though I didn't get too much feedback on my last chapter (sighs pitifully) Hah, j/k, I'm thankful to all the reviews I get, few or not. And purity-starz, you were right in assuming something big's going on. ;-)  
  
"Lady Sango, I think it may be wise to return to Kaede. She's been acting rather mysterious lately, and I think it'd be in our best interests to keep a careful eye on her. At her age, there's no telling what she may do to... Sango are you even listening to me?" his smooth voice took on a harsh edge of pure annoyance as he tapped his foot impatiently at Sango, who currently stood beside him, mesmerized at the frilly daisies embellishing the leafy bushes before them.  
  
"Have you ever stopped to think about the simplicity of a flower?" Sango mused softly, not paying the slightest bit of heed to Miroku's words. "So harmless, so fragile and delicate, yet so vital to the balance of nature," her voice was laced with pure amazement. "What a beautiful creature...," she trailed off, her piercing violet eyes glazing over in a state of entrancement.  
  
"Sango, flowers do almost NOTHING for the balance of nature. Honestly, we don't have time for this, and I really do think it's time to return to Lady Kaede," he trailed off impatiently, shooting nervous glances in the direction of Kaede's hut. The old village master could be quite temperamental when she wanted to be, not to mention violent, and she'd always placed a strict value on the importance of punctuality.  
  
"Well they feed the bees, don't they? And aren't there other animals that feed on their pollen?" Sango crinkled her nose thoughtfully. "But they're complicated too, have you noticed that every petal has a different pattern?"  
  
"No".  
  
"Well they do," Sango sighed in rebuttal, her voice slightly agitated at Miroku's failure to appreciate such beauty. "And for all we know, they could be different colors too," she sighed wistfully before turning her gaze to the dull gray sky, her eyes crinkled in slight depression.  
  
"But we don't know. And unless Lady Kaede locates Midoriko's choice, we never will know. And for all we know, Lady Kaede has located the said girl, but if we are to find her then we must head back to Lady Kaede. In other words, we really should go," Miroku stated logically, ignoring the rolling eyes of Sango boring into the back of his skull as she snapped up from the, she felt, obviously neglected daisy bushes.  
  
"That is so typical of you males," she placed her hands on her hips in scorn as she leaned forward accusingly. "Honestly, nature means nothing to you".  
  
"Dear Sango," in a flash he had appeared by her side, apparently ready to milk the situation for all it was worth. "You know my poetic side better then anybody. Why just last week I wrote you an astounding masterpiece that, if I do say so myself, brilliantly reflected the deep, undying love I carry within myself for you, yearning to be released out into the open where it will flourish in delight....," he trailed off, his usual calm smile returning itself to his rosy cheeks.  
  
"Miroku, what you wrote me last week was not a poem. If anything, it was an abomination to poets everywhere," she said flatly, rolling her eyes in annoyance. 'Is it just me, or do I do that whenever he's around?' she thought dryly with an irritated sigh, as he turned to her, his face adorning an expression of mock horror.  
  
"Lady Sango, maybe what you read may not have been my best work, but it was surely a beautiful masterpiece, was it not?"  
  
"Honestly Miroku, tell me what this sounds like to you," she steadied herself, the epitome of poise as she prepared herself to recite Miroku's "masterpiece".  
  
"Oh Sango, my love, when I saw you I surmised  
That you indubitably enjoy having your eggs fertilized  
Whether you'd like it done hath morning, noon, or night  
It doesn't much matter to me, anytime's all right," she recited, her voice void of all emotion as she turned to Miroku, who was currently bent over, not having an easy time suppressing his blatantly obvious chuckles.  
  
"A masterpiece, is it?" she raised a dry eyebrow at the man, annoyed at, once again, being the victim of his mirth. "You realize that hath doesn't make even the slightest bit of sense in the context?"  
  
"Surely you aren't doubting me, my dearest," Miroku's eyes appeared stricken as he rushed to Sango's flinching side. "It was not more then a harmless prank, but you must never doubt my feelings for you. Sango, I care for only you," his honest gaze intertwined with her own, as if his very soul were shining through his sparkling crimson gaze.  
  
"Miroku?" Sango sighed breathily.  
  
"Yes, Lady Sango?" his voice was layered with pure, untainted honesty and love, and the sun's white light seemed only to focus on the couple as they continued to stare deep into one another's eyes, drinking in one another's emotions. Or so Miroku thought...  
  
"Get...your...hand... OFF MY ASS!" Sango exploded, slapping Miroku violently across the cheek and he winced slightly, distraught that the spell had finally been broken. No, not broken, snapped in two perhaps. Such a shame, really...  
  
"Honestly, you have no respect," she sighed in disgust, brushing her arms off as if trying to eliminate a dirty poison from her pure skin.  
  
Miroku brought a hand up to cup his throbbing cheek, crooking en eye open at the obviously fuming girl before him. "It was well worth the pain," he muttered softly, glad Sango hadn't heard his mumblings or he'd surely be in more pain then before.  
  
"You try something like that again, and make it so NOBODY will be bearing those perverted children of yours, you understand that?" she glared threateningly at him, and he scoffed at the notion.  
  
"I highly doubt you'd be able to come within ten feet of me, let alone...," he was cut off by a livid Sango, who seemed to be growing more irritated by the moment.  
  
"You know I'm well versed in combat, Miroku, so I wouldn't try it," she crossed her arms smugly before cocking her head in the direction of Kaede's village, listening intently. "You hear that?" she asked shortly, and Miroku nodded quickly, readying himself for combat if the need arose. You never could be too careful.  
  
Soft footsteps could be heard ambling toward the two from a distance, and both Sango and Miroku turned to locate the source of the noise. Their alert gazes lapsed into casual relaxation when they saw the slow paced running could be attributed to none other then Lady Kaede, their village master and closest of friends. Deciding that nightfall would arrive before Kaede finally stood before them, they decided to meet her halfway, and Miroku began the trek toward Kaede's slowly moving form, Sango following directly behind Miroku's retreating figure. They sped up slightly when they noticed that Kaede hadn't stopped to wait for their arrival, but was instead moving toward them at an even faster pace. An important event had obviously occurred, and both Miroku and Sango were itching to find out what it was. Things had been a bit quiet lately, and both were up for a newer, more dangerous challenge then debating over flowers.  
  
"Miroku, Sango!" Kaede's leathery voice bellowed urgently when she was positive the two were within hearing distance. "I have some important news for ye," she panted, slowing to a stop as the two halted in front of her, grabbing her shoulders and steadying her upright as support. She was certainly grateful for friends such as these, but now was no time for pleasantries, and all three knew it.  
  
"We know," Sango interjected shortly, never one to mince words. "So what's up?" she asked hotly, never expecting even for a moment the next words to slip out of Kaede's wrinkled lips.  
  
"She...she's here".  
  
0.0  
  
"Oof," Kagome ground out softly as her body landed unceremoniously on the hardwood floor, her limbs twisting out at odd angles and her soft raven hair cascading down her face and onto her throbbing back like a soft blanket. She allowed herself a few minutes of recuperation, lying idly without twitching even a muscle, and if one didn't know any better they'd have assumed she was unconscious. But of course, things aren't always as they appear.  
  
The idle figure on the floor stirred slightly as it struggled to regain a hold on its consciousness, drawing itself up to shaky knees as it panted heavily, allowing its hands to rest comfortably at its sides. Its eyes, however, remained shut as it shook its head in attempt to clear the uneasy thoughts coursing through its muddled brain.  
  
"When I open my eyes," Kagome began softly, her bangs clouding over her closed eyelids, blocking even the tiniest bit of light from filtering through. "I will be in my room, and Kanna will start pestering me about why I'm talking to myself," she assured herself, her voice shaking in apprehension as her eyes flickered open, dazing a bit as she adjusted herself to the light immersing her in its bright waves.  
  
"What the-," she shut her eyes immediately, attempting in vain to block out the images cluttering themselves in her confused mind. "This is just a dream, Kagome, pull yourself together. Do it on the count of three," despite her displayed confidence, Kagome knew she was internally terrified as conflicting emotions coursed through the confusion, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar situation. "One... Two... Three," her eyes shot open a second time, peering around the room for a moment as if assessing her surroundings.  
  
Forcing her eyes shut a second time; she shook her head in denial of the increasingly hopeless situation. "No! It can't! This has to be a dream!! Come on, Kagome, just snap out of it girl. This is a dream, this is a dream, this is a dream," she repeated in a soothing mantra, trying to keep her body from shaking itself into a frenzy. "Oh gods, please let this be a dream!" she cried out desperately, hugging her mirror against herself, as if trying to cling to the only thing that she knew for a fact existed.  
  
Kanna's words ran idly through her brain, though difficult to process during her panicking frenzy. "When you arrive you'll probably run around saying "This is just a dream" and pinching yourself or whatever else. So for all our sakes, Kagome, don't waste time. It's not a dream, nor will it ever be a dream, and you'd be advised to forget your childish notions and complete the task set".  
  
'That's right," Kagome recalled slowly. 'If this IS real, which I'm not even going to consider a possibility, I'm supposed to complete some sort of task. Well, no matter. This is just a silly dream, right? There's no way that Kanna could be right, right? Oh, help me somebody!' she popped open her eyelids a third time, praying that perhaps the other two times had just been her mind playing tricks on her, and the vision in front of her would be of familiar surroundings. Maybe her room, or Kanna, even that annoying advisor Hojo. ANYTHING would be better then this.  
  
She brought her hand to her arm before pinching herself lightly, then seeing that the desired effects remained absent; she pinched herself once again, slightly harder. "Oh for crying out loud!" she sighed desperately, as tears pricked at the corners of her mind, though they strayed far from her face, which was contorted in an expression of sheer disbelief.  
  
"O.K, so let's say I'm insane, need psychotherapy, and in my mind, this place actually DOES exist. Does that mean I've gone colorblind or something?"  
  
Indeed, it would appear to be an accurate conclusion, for the scenery surrounding Kagome was certainly not what her eyes would consider normal. Oh, the setting itself was normal enough , she was obviously inside a room, a shack to be more precise. Wooden planks sprung up around her like wildfire, connecting to a roof that didn't look as if it would hold much more then a blade of grass, let alone a powerful rainstorm. The planks lined themselves under her feet as well, not supporting much more then herself and a chest of drawers thrown unceremoniously on its side, its drawers wide open, revealing its contents, which on second inspection proved to be absolutely nothing.  
  
It would be nothing out of the ordinary if it weren't for the fact that the entire room was void of any color. The walls, which would ordinarily be a musty brown color in Kagome's opinion, were a dark shade of gray, and floor appeared to be black as night. The light shining through the planks from the outside world was white, a bright white, a brighter white then Kagome had ever seen. The chest of drawers were the same color as the wall, gray, though a different shade, a much lighter, more lilting shade. From the childish flowers adorning its handles, Kagome suspected the drawers had once been pink, though there was no way to tell.  
  
"This can't be happening," Kagome sighed wearily, her eyes widening as they adjusted to the strange settings forcing themselves upon her. "Kanna?" she called out desperately. "Turn off the virtual reality system! I mean it!" she chuckled dryly, though it was a hollow chuckle, caked in worry and apprehension.  
  
A floorboard creaked behind her, and she whirled around expectantly, her breathing become shallow as it lodged itself in her throat. It was only natural, for after all, she had no idea what to expect of this strange new world. "Who's there?" she stammered warily, her eyes widening alertly as she peered around anxiously, attempting to locate the source of the voice. She stared up to see a door, though she hadn't remembered it being there before, but it didn't matter either way. It swung open instantly, revealing a solitary figure, his brilliant black hair swinging maliciously behind his back as his dull gray eyes flashed menacingly at the trembling girl before her, who shrieked in terror and drew back, attempting in vain to hide behind the chest of drawers as she cowered in utter fear, for while she knew not of her location, she could certainly tell the difference between friend and foe.  
  
0.0  
  
The man chuckled, arrogantly flipping his braid behind him as he strode confidently into the musty shack. "Yes, girl, this place certainly is real, and, unfortunately for you, so am I".  
  
"Are you serious?" Miroku's usual calm smile quickly altered into one of pure disbelief as he gaped at the older woman before him, who rolled her eyes at his antics.  
  
"Is it that surprising? It is, after all, the hundredth year to date. I must say I was expecting it," she trailed off thoughtfully as she allowed the memories to pour back into her skin, memories which had long lain dormant and forgotten. "It's hard to accept after so long, but she's definitely here. The mirror disappeared, after all".  
  
"Maybe somebody stole it," Sango pointed out, but Kaede shook her head vigorously at the proposal.  
  
"Nay, I saw it disappear with my own two eyes, oh don't give me that look Miroku," she glowered as said man turned away, reverting back to his usual calm demeanor. "These eyes may be old, but they have not yet begun to play tricks on me, and I'm confident in what I saw. She's definitely here".  
  
"Well what do we do about it?" Sango queried anxiously, obviously earnest about getting on with their job. Miroku noted this sudden change in her demeanor, it seemed she was craving action even more then himself, and that was fairly rare. Something was obviously up, but he knew to wait until less pressing times to question it. For now, he'd concentrate on the task at hand.  
  
"Find her of course," Kaede gestured toward the forest with an impatient hand. "Start in there; I don't care. Just find her! You know how important this is," Sango nodded in agreement, but Miroku, of course, couldn't keep his speculations from escaping his lips.  
  
"Is it wise to just start scouring the lands? She could be anywhere, and it would be much more logical to formulate a plan," he stated sensibly, appearing rather smug when a humbled Sango and Kaede hadn't anything to add.  
  
"Of course," Kaede sighed visibly. "But we have no clues, other then rumors, which are probably faulty. Then again," she began when she saw Miroku's mouth begin its usual course. "It's better then just searching blindly, I suppose. All right, there was a rumor that she'd make her appearance due north, in a tiny clearing of daisies. Same direction you both just came from. Good luck," she nodded with respect, inwardly groaning when Miroku made to speak once again.  
  
"What about Inuyasha?" he gestured back toward the village. "It may take his mind off things," he stared pointedly at Kaede, but wasn't too surprised when Sango interjected.  
  
"Just leave him be, Miroku. You know how he is. Something like this could take ages to get over, especially for him. Maybe longer," she sighed in sympathy for their dear friend. "Though there isn't much we can do for him, it'd be best to let him brood for awhile," she snapped out of her imaginings when she recalled their impending task. "Well, let's go," Miroku nodded, and the two set off, waving good-bye to Kaede in their haste.  
  
"Good luck you two. You'll need it," Kaede rolled her eyes as she saw Miroku's wandering hand find its way to its usual spot and heard Miroku's yelp of pain moments after, though the two were yards ahead of her. "Serves him right...."  
  
0.0  
  
Kagome's footsteps pounded on the wet grass as she raced ahead, throwing nervous glances over her shoulder as she dashed. Droplets of dew parted for the imprints of her dainty feet as she made her way through the musty soil, her breath coming in shallow puffs that formed small clouds before her lips. She spotted a sturdy looking tree towering before her and she ducked behind it instantaneously, hoping that her attacker was too dense to locate her, though she severely doubted it. Still, it was a better option then running blindly through the lands, painfully aware of her lack of skill in that particular area, and the knowledge that hovered above her like an impending cloud: the fact that the situation was, in fact, real.  
  
'Please don't let him find me,' she squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she clawed subconsciously at the uneven bark, absently stroking her raven hair with her other hand, as if attempting to soothe her racing heart. Unfortunately, her attempts were in vain as her pursuer appeared in front of her in mere instants, not even beginning to appear the worse for wear.  
  
"My, you're not half as powerful as so many have made you out to be," he cackled villainously, his laughter tinged with malice and sin. "No matter. I'll rid myself of you either way. Prepare to die, bitch," his hands, which Kagome was almost positive she had seen sport claws, swiped through the air, and she shrieked in terror as she stumbled to the side, exploiting her back to the man, who quickly seized the opportunity to strike, his claws tearing through her blouse like butter, exposing her bare back to the brilliantly hot rays of the sun.  
  
"Leave me alone," she stammered, her once chocolate eyes conveying her obvious fear toward the man who was evidently taking a perverse pleasure in her immense terror. "I think you have the wrong person," her voice shook in utter fright as she ducked another blow from the man, who was growing increasingly irritated with his failures. "You have the wrong girl!" she cried vigorously, tears adorning the corners of her shifting eyes. "PLEASE STOP! SOMEBODY, HELP!" she cried desperately, clinging to the small hope that somebody, anybody was within hearing distance, but sadly, it appeared that her attempts were futile as the man drew back to deliver his final blow.  
  
"This is it," he ground out forcefully. "Time to end this once and for all," he laughed, that same villainous laugh as his claws cut through the air as they hurtled toward her tender cheeks.  
  
"KIKYO!"  
  
A/N: You know what to do.. ;-)... expect an update sometime next week, or maybe the week after if I get extremely busy. SoL has first priority, after all.... 


	4. First Signs

Disclaimer: Inuyasha's not mine, but if he were, I'd string him up by his toenails and laugh at his pain. I'm so sadistic XD  
  
A/N: This chapter is action-ish, and I apologize in advance to those of you who aren't into that sort of thing, but I assure you, it's necessary to the development of the story.  
  
A few of you seem confused, and I completely understand. I'd be confused too if I weren't the authoress, but you have nothing to worry about. Everything'll be cleared up next chapter. In the meantime....  
  
Chapter Four  
  
The First Sign  
  
The disembodied voice resounded throughout the clearing, and both Kagome and the obviously homicidal man whipped around to locate the owner of the mysterious sounds. They didn't have long to wait, for a mysterious figure clad in red leapt out before them momentarily, seething in fury.  
  
"STEP AWAY FROM KIKYO!" he bellowed, his lip curled in fury and his fists clenching at his sides in utter animosity. Kagome stared up at him in awe, transfixed by his strange appearance, for it was unlike anything she'd ever laid eyes on. He was barefoot, for starters, and atop each neutrally gray toe sprouted a single claw, curved and sharp, and to Kagome, it appeared even sharper then the pointiest of knives. The same claws sprouted from his fingertips, which were currently curling in anger at the sight of the haughty attacker, and his, was it a uniform? Whatever it was, it stretched from the top of his neck to his ankle, and the gray was dark, almost pitch black, so Kagome assumed that, in her world, the suit would've been either brown or a deep crimson.  
  
As he seemed to be shielding her with his body, she didn't have a distinct view of his face, but she could see the extensive white hair that trailed down his back and ended at his waist, each strand without a single split end or tangle. Though it was hardly the time for such frivolous thoughts, Kagome couldn't help but wonder what brand of shampoo he used, and how on the world could she get her hands on some? The other odd thing about his hair, she noticed, was that it seemed to point into two perfect triangles atop his skull, looking for all the world like animal ears, and Kagome was distinctly reminded of her former Calico cat, Buyo.  
  
She was immediately drawn out of her thoughts when the man before her lunged at her attacker, and she honestly wasn't sure which one she should cheer on, as she wasn't confident whether the newest addition to the match was friend or foe, though she had her speculations.  
  
The other man jumped back, his unkempt braid flipping toward the battle's newest competitor, and at the last moment Kagome realized that it wasn't hair at all that was shooting toward her mysterious rescuer, but rather minute, pointy knives sprouting from atop his head, all aiming for the mysterious gray fellow. His eyes widened in shock as he jumped aside, his flowing white hair barely grazing the foul strands as they curled back resentfully, accepting their failure.  
  
"So Kikyo's her name, is it?" the man attatched to the razor-sharp knives laughed, a hauntingly cruel laugh, and Kagome found herself yearning for the ghostly laugh of Kanna. As creepy as it was; it didn't manage to send half as many frigid chills shooting up her spine as this man's did.  
  
'Maybe I should run or something,' she contemplated to herself as the two men lunged at each other a second time, claws and hair (as odd as it sounded) outstretched. Both dodged one another's attacks, and from a spectator's point of view, it looked to be a moderately even match.  
  
Panting, the cat-like man braced himself against the rough bark of a nearby tree, readying himself in typical battle stance. "You bastard-," he muttered under his breath, spitting at the musty dirt below as his bare feet slid backwards in the dust. "You'll pay for threatening Kikyo!"  
  
Kagome glanced back and forth between the two men, and realization dawned upon her. 'They think I'm that Kikyo girl!' she gasped. 'And I thought it was just his battle cry or something; how dense am I?' she slapped a warm hand to her perspiring skull, shaking her head at her stupidity. 'Well, it may be better to keep up with the charade. After all, that man's only saving me because he thinks I'm this Kikyo person. If I lay low, he won't know the truth until after the fight's over,' she drew out of her thoughts just in time to see a body hurtling toward her, and on second inspection she saw it was that of her supposed "savior". His almond shaped eyes widened in shock as they focused upon her horror-stricken face, she suspected he was finally recognizing her true identity. She shrieked and, on impulse, rose her hands up to cover her features, turning to her side and bracing herself for the impact, which occurred only moments later as they collided full on, both figures tumbling back into the dirt and leaving a trail of dust in their wake.  
  
'Guess it's too late for my little plan,' she coughed as she attempted to sit up, raising a hand to cup her forehead in an attempt to cease the dizzy feelings coursing through her brain. 'I hope he'll still help me,' she turned to glance at the gray-clad man, only to see that he was staring at her, his eyes narrowing in a mixture of understanding and fury.  
  
"You're not Kikyo!" he huffed angrily, pushing himself to his feet without the slightest bit of effort and turning back toward her, an expression of displeasure taking over his entire being. "And to think I wasted my time here," he muttered, turning on his heel in an attempt to exit the clearing, leaving his dumbfounded opponent gaping after him.  
  
"What a coward!" he jeered. "Running away from battle, are we?" he laughed maliciously, turning back to Kagome with a sadistic grin, who gulped in repulsion, scooting back against the scratchy bark of a nearby stump. Her strange cat-like rescuer whirled around at the accusations, baring his teeth for a few moments before deciding the whole ordeal certainly wasn't worth his time, and he strode confidently off, not once glancing back at the terrified Kagome or her malicious assailant.  
  
"Leave me alone, you jerk!" her voice shook as she spoke in obviously feigned confidence. "I-I could beat you up, ya know!" she shook her delicate fist at him, groping behind her for a suitable ledge to assist in rising to her shaky feet. Her confidence increasing at his dumbfounded look, she grasped a branch and stumbled to her feet, attempting a vicious laugh as she steadily backed up against the tree, praying he wouldn't comprehend her plan. "THAT'S RIGHT, JERK! You're going down!" her foot slid across the dust as she glanced backwards momentarily to ensure her safety.  
  
The man's cocky look restored in his bloodthirsty eyes in mere moments as they focused intently upon the girl before him. "Really," his eyes narrowed in mock curiosity. "And just how do you plan to do that?"  
  
"By running. Really fast," she brought her foot forward hastily before turning in the direction she saw her former savior take earlier, her footsteps pounding on the grimy dirt as it parted for her rapid footpath. She glanced uneasily over her shoulder to check her attacker's progress and found he was suitably gaining on her. She swallowed in dread and attempted to quicken her pace, then sighed miserably when she realized she had reached her absolute limit.  
  
'Oh shit, I don't wanna die!' rogue tears spewed from the once chocolate eyes of the terrified Kagome as she struggled to surpass the pace of her pursuer. 'Mom, Souta, Yuka, anybody! GET ME OUTTA HERE!' she glanced up ahead momentarily, clinging to the hope that somebody, anybody was coincidentally out for a stroll, but unfortunately, she saw naught but the majestic trees as they towered above the lands, appearing almost as tall as mountains. The sun's white light penetrated Kagome's eyes so much that it was growing increasingly more difficult for the girl to assess her surroundings, though she definitely strove for it. The wind tickled her nose as she made her way down her path of fate before proceeding to envelop her like a warm winter blanket, caressing her skin in the gentlest of ways. A rogue gray figure darted in and out of the chaos, and to Kagome, the figure appeared awfully similar to...  
  
"Cat boy!" she shrieked, darting after the spot she'd seen him vacate only moments earlier. "Cat boy, come back, please! CAT BOY!" her sobs littered the air as she dashed, hopelessly lost, between the monstrous trunks daunting her path. Her eyes lit up as they focused upon the speck of gray, and she praised her good fortune when she saw it was moving increasingly closer.  
  
Her hand, moving on its own accord, shot out and latched onto the silky gray material, pulling it back beside her with an accompanied groan of her captive. The man shot her an aggravated glare which she immediately returned with a sickly smile of her own before whipping back in the direction she saw her attacker thundering down only moments earlier. She tightened her hold on the gray fabric, praying that her "savior" wouldn't feel any need to wriggle out of her (she hoped) firm hold.  
  
Instead of promising to aide her in her time of need, as she would've like, the man turned to her with an irritated scowl. "Let go of me, wench. I don't have time to play hero right now, all right?" his eyes flashed in annoyance as he glared pointedly down at his uniform, which was currently being pierced by Kagome's long nails, he supposed in utter terror.  
  
"Please help," she muttered softly, gasping in horror as a whirlwind echoed throughout the clearing, signaling the arrival of her foe. "Don't desert me, please!" she yelped as he wrenched out of her grip, stumbling forward toward her attacker as she consequently backed up against the coarse bark of yet another tree, her hands twitching nervously against her sides.  
  
"Who are you anyway?" he spat at the dirt in annoyance, leaving a minute damp circle upon the dusty ground. "What do you want with this girl?" he raised an eyebrow in seemingly livid curiosity, and her foe laughed villainously as he crept towards his prey, his braid swinging maliciously behind him and his dark eyes flashing in apprehension.  
  
"I'm Hiten, descendant of the all powerful miko Midoriko," he ignored the gasp emitted from his foe's lips as he strolled toward the girl. "And I came here today to claim my prize. In all rights, she does belong to me," he licked his lips in anticipation, which caused Kagome to shudder in revulsion as he drew closer, sending a pleading glance over to her savior, who she'd dubbed "cat boy" in her mindset.  
  
All of the sudden, something snapped in "cat boy" and he seemed to switch from "uninterested hero" mode to "superman" in mere instants. He leaped in front of Kagome, once again shielding her body with his own as he had done when he still believed her to be Kikyo, whoever she happened to be. A deep growl rumbled menacingly within his throat, and Kagome fought the urge to laugh, despite the dire situation. It wasn't every day that she partook in the pleasures of listening to a growling cat.  
  
"If you're not dicking around here, and this is really Midoriko's choice, then you've just signed your death certificate. You're not laying a HAND on her!" he flexed his claws threateningly before him, cackling as he watched the man before him's gaze alter from arrogant to, it seemed, slightly worried, before reverting back to its cocky state in mere instants, though both Kagome and "cat-boy" could see through his façade.  
  
"What'cha gonna do about it, doggy twerp?" he jeered. Kagome gave him a puzzling glance at the nickname, trying to make out whether he looked more dog or cat. She came to the conclusion that her stray thoughts weren't of the slightest importance as a figure hurtled toward her, though she couldn't make out whom. The impact sent them both careening head on into the bark of a particularly rough tree, dust swirling around them, almost as if the ground were shaking in laughter at their plight.  
  
After glancing up, Kagome determined that (thank god) the figure draping over her was "Cat-boy" and not her attacker, which she was incredibly grateful for. This was not a suitable position she'd want to be in with anybody, but right now, this Hiten fellow was at the bottom of her list.  
  
"Cat-boy" rose to his feet, brushing off his pant legs as he did so and shooting Hiten an infuriated glare. "Bastard!" he swore angrily, rushing forward, seemingly attempting another head on collision with her aggressor. Hiten, anticipating the move, easily dodged the attack and sped over to Kagome, who was currently cowering in horror against the bark of yet another tree, her fingers digging into the scratchy surface. She shrieked in terror as Hiten grew closer, shielding her face with her arms on impulse as she felt Hiten's arm snake around her waist, rendering any attack of hers useless as he pulled her into his grasp.  
  
"NO!" she heard the resilient shout echo throughout the clearing, she assumed it was that of her rescuer, though her mind hadn't the time to contemplate such matters. She glanced up at her assailant in a mixture of terror and loathing, attempting with all her might to wrench out of his grasp as his legs whipped over the ground like butter, carrying her farther and farther away to the only hope she still clung to: "Cat-boy".  
  
"Let go of me you jerk!" she kicked at him, hoping to hit a certain tender spot, and she held back a shriek of victory when she felt her leg collide with her goal. He released her momentarily, and she seized the opportunity to charge back through the dense forest, barely missing a head on collision with "Cat-boy", who was currently thundering in the opposite direction, she assumed to pursue her.  
  
"Woah there," she heard him mumble, almost incoherently, as he grabbed a hold of her now exceedingly filthy blouse, though neither had the capacity to think of such things during such a pressing time. He tightened his hold on her as Hiten came stampeding towards them, his clothed arm outstretched as he grasped Kagome's other arm, and the two proceeded to pull her into opposite directions, causing Kagome to shriek in anguish as she felt herself being jerked in two opposite directions, and the strain it was inflicting on her arms was enough to provoke her to a whole new level of confidence.  
  
"Let go of me! Both of you!" she screeched, obviously infuriated as her patent leather shoes kicked wildly at the air in an attempt to free her from her grasp. Her raven black hair shook in the agony of the pressure, and a stifled scream lodged itself in her throat as she thrashed about wildly, attempting everything in her power to free her tortured figure.  
  
Suddenly the immense pressure lessened as she felt herself hurtling towards the right and straight into Hiten's (though she hated to admit it) muscular chest. She groaned in fury, attempting to repeat her previous endeavors, when she found her legs being subdued as clumps of hair twisted painfully around her skin, causing Kagome's mouth to run dry in apprehension.  
  
'Shit! If I so much as move, the knives will cut me! There's got to be some way out of here,' she glanced around nervously, yearning with all her being for some unidentified miracle to spring out of the musty air and spare her life, though even she knew how unlikely the prospect was.  
  
"GIRL! YOU HAVE TO UNSEAL THE BARRIER!" she closed her eyes in aggravation as she attempted to concentrate on the voice, her eyes fluttering open immediately to comprehend what 'Cat-boy' was insinuating. She gasped in a mixture of awe and fright as she noticed black flames (or what she assumed to be flames) springing up around them like wildfire, each appearing more menacing then its processor. She drew back subconsciously, not wanting to get tinged by the wrath of the growing blaze.  
  
"Unseal it! DO SOMETHING, DAMNIT!" the voice grew more urgent and impatient, as if it were his life on the line instead of her own. She shook her head in annoyance as the inferno heightened; she knew better then to stroke them no matter what 'cat-boy' insisted.  
  
'Unseal it? Surely he doesn't mean for me to touch them!' her thoughts ceased as she attempted to complete the task at hand on wits alone, knowing that all the logic in the world wouldn't aide her now. As Hiten's hair draped tighter around her skin, she could feel her warm blood trickling down her ankles and settling painfully on the ground beneath her feet, barely uttering a single sound. The knives continued to prick at her delicate skin, and she could feel the pain sear throughout her body, as if electric jolts were coursing through her veins and itching to escape from their prison and discharge their immense powers into the lands beyond.  
  
"But that's not pain," she muttered softly as the immense power within her seemed to strengthen as she drew herself out of her thoughts. "That's... that's something else!" realization grew within her, and without knowing how or why, her hands shot out to meet the blue flames, ramming against them with all the brute strength she could muster as she closed her eyes, concentrating on the sheer intensity of the task at hand.  
  
"AUUGHH!" she forced out in an attempt to ease the immense pressure that pushed heavily against her small frame, threatening to overcome her entire being as her hand drew tighter against the flames, almost appearing to mold into the sinister blackness.  
  
"YES!" a disembodied voice rang out through the clearing at Kagome's efforts. 'So the dumb girl has figured it out. Now's my chance,' he drew back with a vicious laugh as he watched the shadowy flames which were once blacker then night itself mold into a deep, unfaltering brown. Without a moment's hesitation, he leapt nimbly into the faltering chaos. 


	5. Revealed

Disclaimer: Never has and never will be mine. Damn.  
  
A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys, but I just haven't been in much of the mood to write, and everything I wrote came out sounding like garbage. The only reason I'm even updating now is because I'd already practically finished this chapter, so I figured I might as well use up my last bit of energy and get it outta the way. Anyone got suggestions for writer's block? Heh, review plz, and I'll try to update!  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Choices  
  
Ughhhhh...my head...  
  
"You and me darling, strange as it may seem, are chock full of passion, romance, and unfaltering curiosities of the human figure," a deep masculine voice boomed through the fragile depths of her ears, penetrating the thin barriers sealing her consciousness. "What do you think?"  
  
Where am I...  
  
"Dreadful. Honestly, the rhythm is all off," a lighter nonchalant voice shook in concealed laughter, and the sound of chair legs scraping gently across a wooden floor were audible to her delicately sensitive ears.  
  
Am I in heaven...?  
  
"You two are some of the most imbecilic and argumentative recruits I've ever had the misfortune of training," a weary voice resounded throughout the temporary silence followed shortly by an accompanying heavy sigh. "I honestly don't know why I put up with you".  
  
... Heaven is a boot camp?  
  
"Aww, you know you love us Lady Kaede. We are your most athletic little underlings after all," a teasing voice responded instantaneously, and the lilting feminine voice from before broke into boisterous laughter at his words.  
  
I think I'll go back to sleep now...  
  
A pause penetrated the uplifting atmosphere, and the silence seemed almost thunderous in comparison to the cheerful dialogue taking place only mere moments ago. In an attempt to break the awkward silence, the leathery, more mature voice floated through the brisk air and into the twitching ears of the slumbering woman.  
  
"Where's Inuyasha anyhow? Didn't you say that he's the one who located her?" the voice inquired curiously, absently tapping out an unfamiliar rhythm on the firm timber floor with one of her worn fingers.  
  
"It's quite strange," the deeper voice, which she presumed was male, interjected. "When we arrived he had secured the girl, but instead of returning with us as we'd expected, he just asked us if he looked like a cat, then handed her over to us and ran off. I have no idea what possessed such a reaction".  
The feminine voice grew taut with haughtiness when it next appeared in the conversation. "Inuyasha was not POSESSED, Miroku. I think you mean 'produced'".  
  
"Will you two quit it for once? It's very irritating," the wiser voice broke in exasperatedly, and even from her spot on the floor, the drowsy Kagome couldn't help but nod in agreement as she curled over onto her side, her raven hair strewn across her slim shoulders as she twisted and writhed in an attempt to achieve a comfortable position, a difficult feat when the surface on which you're choosing to sleep is solid as the sturdiest of boulders and every bit as stiff.  
  
Looks like a cat? Wait a minute...  
  
Fast as lightening, a blur of dark matter rose stealthily from the floor, on her feet before any of the stunned onlookers even had the opportunity to blink. Her appearance was rather disheveled, charcoal hair protruding up from odd ends of her skull and bleary eyes tinged with specks of remaining drowsiness. All this was overlooked, however, when she used the deafening silence as an opportunity to speak.  
  
"Where is he?" she shrieked, glancing around apprehensively. "What happened to him?"  
  
A second figure leapt to its feet whose voice she immediately recognized as the resonant masculine voice from earlier. "Where is who?" he cocked his head in bewilderment, discounting the awestruck stares from both Lady Sango and Kaede. Seeing Kagome in unconsciousness was one thing, but after a one hundred year waiting period, seeing her alive and well, speaking even, was a spectacle neither expected to observe in the course of their lifetimes. Miroku, however, adapted to new situations quite well, especially when a young lady had taken involvement.  
  
"Hiten! And cat-boy!" her eyes widened in horror. "Are they...dead?" her voice shook in utter anxiety as she hung her head in melancholy mourning, tears embellishing the corners of her puffy eyelids as she recalled the situation from only hours earlier.  
  
'He saved my life. And, whatever it was that I did, I think I'm the one who killed him. How am I supossed to live with that?' idle thoughts coursed through her brain shamefully as she fought to hold back her impending tears. 'It's my fault...'.  
  
To her utter amazement, chuckles rose throughout the room at her antics, and she quickly wiped a dusty hand across her delicate cheeks to rid them of any tenacious tears. The dark haired man stepped forward confidently, two golden earrings clinking merrily against one another as they protruded from his earlobes. "Cat-boy, huh?" he chuckled, startled at not feeling even the slightest bit of guilt for laughing mercilessly at his friend's expense. "So that's why he was having some sort of demon identity crisis," his lips broke out into a friendly smile at his propositions. "Anyhow, don't worry. Your friend is safe and sound, he's actually the one who delivered you to us," he leaned against the rough planks strewn against the doorway, probably used for repairing the immediate vicinity, though Kagome couldn't be bothered with such speculations when she certainly had more pressing issues to attend to.  
  
"And why have you three kidnapped me anyhow?" she gasped in what sounded suspiciously alike to mock amazement, and her usually warm eyes narrowed in an accusing glare as she altered her hands to her hips from their previous position of shaking uneasily by her dreary sides. "You're in cahoots with cat-boy, aren't you? I knew he wasn't to be trusted," she murmured darkly before shifting her gaze to the two gaping women sprawled on the floor. "Your jaws are scraping the ground," she quipped dryly, her lips drawing upwards in a lilting smile as the younger woman blushed lightly before taking a sudden interest in a damp spot tainting the dry black floors of their abode. The older woman scoffed, turning HER gaze toward the fire as she began tending to its majestic glory.  
  
"We haven't kidnapped you," the dark haired man smiled patiently as he continued his protests. "In reality, you could say we saved your life," he wrinkled his nose, as if rethinking his previous statement. "Well actually, you have Inuyasha to thank for that. We just live here".  
  
Kagome smiled amiably up at him before bursting into hearty laughter, clutching her sides as she stumbled backwards into the harsh wooden surface of a nearby wall. The three onlookers stared curiously at her for a few moments before she ceased her incessant giggling to peer innocently down at them. "Oh, I wasn't serious," she flashed a cheerful beam before continuing, "Well, you made it incredibly easy for me to escape, so I can assume that your intentions were honorable. That or you're just bumbling fools who call themselves villains to strengthen their self esteem. Either way, I harbor no reason to fear you," her expression grew serious for a moment as she stared awkwardly toward the twitching doorframe as the swinging wooden door shifted uncomfortably on its hinges. "I'm just wondering what happened to Cat-boy. I hope he's all right," her voice shook worriedly before giving way to a rueful laugh. "Of course, I have much more pressing wonders then that, but I don't suppose you could give me any answers to them," she hinted awkwardly, and both Miroku and Sango laughed at her proposal.  
  
"Surprisingly, we know more then you think," Sango spoke up from her spot on the stiff ground, leaning forward onto her stomach to allow the ground to bear the brunt of her weight. She shifted to obtain a more comfortable position, then gave up on the task and drew herself up to her knees before stumbling awkwardly to her feet. "But I think it'd be best to wait for Inuyasha before we explain any further. He has a right to know after all".  
  
"You know," Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully, cocking an eye toward Kagome, "you look awfully familiar. This may sound insane, but I feel as if I've seen you somewhere before".  
  
"Aye," Kaede spoke without glancing upward from nurturing the blaze as she waited for the inferno to blaze enough to risk attempting a suitable dinner. "Her resemblance to Kikyo is uncanny...," she trailed off thoughtfully, and Kagome was nearly positive she caught Kaede glancing wistfully at the blackened blaze before her.  
  
"She looks nothing like that bitch," a harsh voice spat bitterly from above them, and all four shifted their gazes to focus upon Inuyasha as he strode confidently into the vicinity, shaking his mane of flowing white hair in strained relaxation as he collapsed upon the wooden surface, leaning up against the uneven walls as he draped his arms carelessly across his knees, wrinkling his blackened uniform in the process, though Kagome couldn't tell whether that was due to the strange color scheme currently invading her pupils or whether the earlier battle had roughed him up even more then she'd recognized.  
  
"Ahh, Inuyasha," Kaede nodded respectfully toward him, her lips quirking upward in a knowing smile. "Welcome back. You're just in time to introduce yourself," she nodded in a gesture toward Kagome who sunk down beside him, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she gave him a hearty wave.  
  
"So Inuyasha's your name, is it?" her feet gave way as she collapsed onto the ground, sprawling against the wall in a rumpled heap. "I'm Kagome," she withdrew her hand from its place draped listlessly at her side, pulling it before her in preparation for a reciprocate shake.  
  
"Well that's bloody brilliant for you," he scowled darkly, glaring stonily at her before shifting his attention to Kaede, who had almost completed the task of readying the fires. "Are you sure this is the one, old hag? I thought ol' Midoriko would at least have the brains to choose a capable one".  
  
Kagome's brow furrowed as she retracted her hand before shrugging half-heartedly and returning the ever present smile to her cheeks. "At least I'm capable of being friendly," she laughed dryly, strengthening her laughter when Inuyasha whirled around to focus his intense glare on her sparkling doey eyes, his white mane blowing stormily around his face, framing it in a way that made him appear even more callous and uncaring then she'd originally pegged him to be.  
  
"She got you there," Miroku too had found a place against the walls, joined moments later by a reluctant Sango as they awaited further instructions from an apparently unobservant Kaede.  
  
"So, Inuyasha," her gaze suddenly hardened in intense seriousness. "What exactly happened back there? And why did you get so worked up over Kikyo? And, just in case any of you know this, why the hell did I wind up here?" Lily rambled, clamping her mouth shut as she realized her incessant talk was void of any direction.  
  
Inuyasha remained silent, jerking his head toward Kaede in a silent but expressive gesture. Since Kaede, however, seemed too involved with her immediate task to give the four awaiting onlookers much heed, Miroku took it upon himself to complete the introductions.  
  
"Well let's see here, Kagome. I'm Miroku and this is Sango, my rampant sex monkey," he smiled pleasantly toward Sango, ignoring Kagome's appalled gasp and Inuyasha's blatant snort littering the pure silence of the background.  
  
"Miroku," Sango's voice appeared the picture of tranquility as she continued to glare absorbedly into the cracks of the wooden floor. "I'm giving you until the count of five to beat it. If you fail to do so, I will string you up by your testicles and allow a particularly raunchy demon to have his way with you," she smiled icily at Miroku, ticking off his remaining seconds with smooth fingers.  
  
Miroku scuttled hastily across the floor, winding up sprawled by Kagome's feet as he gasped in mock anguish before Sango even reached the number three. "Why Sango, I'm utterly appalled. Where on Earth you learned such vulgar language is beyond my understanding. I may very well have to call up your mother and-," he broke into a teasing grin as Sango scowled darkly before glaring maliciously at Miroku, her eyes oozing utter loathing.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE," she ground out, pointing a threatening finger toward him in ruthless promise. "OR I WILL KILL YOU!" her eyes shone with fiery anger as she crossed her arms callously before turning away from all three gaping onlookers, her nose pointed toward the sky as she shifted her gaze toward Kaede. "Is the food ready yet? I'm starved," she reverted back to her usual amiable demeanor in mere moments, attempting not to giggle as she heard the irritated sigh escape from Kaede's partially parted lips as they pointed upwards, appearing for all the world to Lily like a highly amused grin.  
  
"Nearly," she stated hotly before shifting her attention to an ever pressing matter: dinner.  
  
Kagome glanced from Sango to Miroku before emitting a nervous giggle at their antics in an attempt to break the awkward tension floating between them. "I suppose there are some inside jokes nobody's let me in on," she remarked idly, crinkling her eyelids in humor as she attempted to make eye contact with Inuyasha, sinking back dejectedly when she saw his livid scowl hadn't left its usual post of resting lightly on his lips, his eyes narrowing downward as he silently fumed.  
  
Miroku immediately shifted closer to Kagome, a serene smile taking over his lips as he gazed intently at her slight form. She shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze as she subconsciously scooted backwards toward Inuyasha, who, unlike Miroku, had no intention of eyeing her so brazenly, rather raising his eyebrows in utter repulsion as she drew near.  
  
"You know Kagome," his voice suddenly took on a more sultry tone. "For a girl who's gone through so much, you appear awfully calm about the whole situation," he leaned in closer, and Kagome could feel her neck begin the process of perspiration as the sensation of his breath tickled her skin. "I like that in a girl".  
  
The next sequence of events occurred almost simultaneously as Miroku's infamous wandering hand slipped downward toward Kagome's awaiting rear. At first, the room was drenched in a deadly silence as all four of its occupants glanced around nervously, unsure of the events that would transpire afterward. Then, suddenly, chaos erupted as Kagome emitted a high pitched shriek, drawing back her hand and driving it full force against Miroku's already throbbing cheek. Sango glared stonily at Miroku, and Inuyasha's boisterous laughter echoed throughout the room at the hilarity of the scene, growing even stronger when he swore he could see a tinge of hurt dabbing the edges of Sango's stony eyes, though they were subtle and practicably concealed.  
  
"You three are the most idiotic people I've ever had the misfortune to meet," Kaede sighed disapprovingly before gazing sympathetically at Kagome, who had proceeded to scoot as far away from Miroku as humanly possible without physically touching Inuyasha, who looked less then pleased with the seating arrangement. Sango sighed morosely, and Kaede shook her head in annoyance.  
  
"Honestly, there are much more pressing matters on our hands then this idiocy," she chirped matter of factly before tenderly stroking the fire a final time before allowing it to gradually burn out.  
  
"There were pressing matters on Miroku's hands too," Sango muttered darkly, though the comment was only capable to Inuyasha with his keen hearing, and he couldn't succeed in repressing his muffled snort, earning him odd glances from both Kagome and Miroku.  
  
"Look, you three, I'm being serious," Kaede shifted her intense gaze to each of them in turn, daring them with her stony eyes to continue their nonsense. When they gradually lapsed into silence, she seized the opportunity to begin her tale.  
  
"All right, Kagome, this is vital to your survival here, so I'd listen up if I were you," she smiled kindly at Kagome whose ears perked up at her rather intimidating words. "Where should I begin this...".  
  
"Start with the divide," Sango suggested encouragingly, internally wishing Kaede weren't so painstakingly slow all of the time, then mentally scolded herself for even considering such things. Kaede was, after all, like a grandmother to her, and the two were extremely close.  
  
Kaede shifted on the ground before proceeding to begin her tragic tale. "Years ago, before this planet was graced with any of our presences, the world was divided into kingdoms. Kings and queens reined above all others and were treated with the utmost respect or sought after and brutally slaughtered. Horrible times, Kagome. You never knew who exactly you could trust. One bad word against any ruler and you'd run for fear of your life, since you never knew who could be listening in on your every conversation. One such king was even more ruthless then the rest, and his lands hated him above all others, though they'd never speak their qualms aloud. He had two sons, the older which took after him immensely, and the younger, quieter one, that we suspect inherited more of his dear mother's traits.  
  
The younger one, whose name was Charles, resented the older one, whose name was William, greatly. As the older son, William was one day to inherit the title of king, so naturally most of the kingdom's attentions were focused on William and little thought ever drifted to Charles, who basically existed in the background. He didn't mind so much not being in the public spotlight, actually he was quite thankful for his privacy, but he felt he always came in second to William in the eyes of his parents, his father especially. When he finally came of age, he took off on a year long vacation to supposedly "find himself". Rumor has it that he traveled to the Western Lands, but nobody's all that sure, and frankly, nobody really cares. A year later he returned on the scene of royalty, only to find both his parents dead and his brother ruthlessly commanding the subjects and citizens to participate in vile activities. Horrible things, Kagome, you have no idea. Most of it involved the slaying of demons, our allies for the past century. The demons fought side by side with us in battle, lived with us in our villages, and most didn't even give a thought to demonic identities. Befriending a demon was no different then befriending a human.  
  
Charles returned as a newlywed, recently married to a demon girl from the mountains, Angelique. Their bond was stronger then any I'd ever heard, and Charles wouldn't even consider turning her over to his loathed brother. So when William called Charles to execute Angelique, Charles blatantly refused. To make a long story short, war soon threatened to overflow the shores of our lands. On William's side, we have the humans, forced to fight under him in fear of their lives, and on Charles', the demons, fighting in defense of their freedom.  
  
War raged for years, and in the end, nobody was truly deemed victorious. Eventually both William and Charles died in battle, and to this day, nobody's absolutely sure about Angelique's whereabouts. But these events left a permanent scar on the surface of friendship in regards to the human/demon population. The demons were feeling betrayed by the humans for threatening to exterminate them, and the humans as well felt betrayed, for many lives had been lost in those battles at the hands of demons. The cloth of bonding we'd knit so tightly steadily unraveled until nothing left then a single thread kept us from ripping one another's throats out. Finally the demons seceded from our lands, taking a few choice humans (who believed in their cause) with them, and the humans captured a few of the weaker demons to use as house slaves. The scar had ripped through the thin tissue connecting us, and the wounds inflicted upon pride don't heal quickly. It's been hundreds of years, and to this day the groups of Black and White will not come within ten feet of each other. Black being the Pro Demon group, though forty percent of it consists of humans, as demons are increasingly rarer then your average human. The whites are the Anti Demon group, consisting only ten percent of demons, and those are nothing more then powerless servants.  
  
Of course, there are some who tired of the immense loathing between the two groups and who'd like nothing more then to see peace reign once again throughout the lands. This group is called "Gray" and are not to be trusted by either side, since almost all Grays are thought to be spies for the other side, whomever that may be at the moment. It's quite a complicated triangle, but the point is that if you're to survive here, you'll need to pick your group. Become prejudice as Black or White, and you'll need to leave our humble village, for we here are Grays, and if you're seen in our company and associated with us, you'll never be able to clear your name," she finished breathlessly, staring intensely at Kagome as if trying to assess the girl's expression. "So pray tell, child, what do you choose?"  
  
"Wow," Kagome glanced downward apprehensively. "That's a pretty, erm, intense story, but I'm not sure if I can remember it all," she glanced worriedly at Kaede who chuckled heartily, bouncing lightly in her mirth.  
  
"Child, you don't need to remember all this. We just need to know how to categorize you to decide what information to feed you next. We do have a favor to ask of you, but we must know your decision before we ask it," her gaze suddenly slipped back into that of a mature grandmother.  
  
"Well in that case, I don't even have to make a choice. I've always been against any sort of prejudice, no matter what the cause. Gray it is," she nodded in determined resolve, her eyes sparkling beamingly when they locked upon the proud smile fixed on Kaede's worn lips. She parted them to speak, but Inuyasha broke in before she had the chance.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do that?" he spoke directly to the wall, but Kagome knew he was addressing her. "That mirror of yours may malfunction, and if by some chance you get stuck here, you might regret that decision. You may have said that you're against prejudice, but by joining us, people will be prejudiced against YOU. Is that really what you want?" his tone was patronizing, but Kagome could sense an entirely different emotion behind it, though she couldn't detect its identity. Idly she wondered how he even knew about the mirror, but decided asking wasn't worth the agony he'd end up feeding her.  
  
"Yes, that's what I want," Kagome's unfaltering gaze bore into the back of Inuyasha's white mane, willing him to turn around and meet her stare with one of his own. "I've never actually met a demon before, but from Kaede's description, they sound like perfectly nice, er, beings," she smiled warmly as Inuyasha turned to face her, his gaze cold and calculating, as if searching her own for traces of doubt. His lips quirked upward in a halfway pleasant smirk as he turned back toward the older woman, and Kagome could barely repress a happy shriek at her almost immediate progress.  
  
"Well Kagome," Kaede spoke again, grinning almost cheerily as images of a shining colorful rainbrow circulated through the abyss of her mind, "It's time to tell you why you're here," she cleared her throat in preparation. "A hundred years to date, there was a particularly rebellious Gray who called herself Midoriko. She was a miko, one of the last of her line to be precise, which gave her immense spiritual power," she scowled at Kagome's skeptical gaze. "After everything you've seen today, you can't believe in spiritual power?" she shook her head in disbelief. "Teenagers these days... anyhow, Midriko absolutely loathed the prejudice between Black and White, as do we all, but she had the power to do something about it. The Whites had killed her demon husband, and in retaliation, she decided to punish both sides of the coin by using the remainder of her spiritual energy to create a prophecy. She decided that if the majority of people wanted to view the world in black and white terms, by all means, give the people what they want. This world has been void of color ever since," she sighed wistfully before continuing. "The sheer power this took was enough claim the life of a thousand mikos, and she herself was no different. Her death occurred momentarily, but her last thoughts were forever recorded on a slip of parchment that has been passed down through the years to the descendants of her closest friend, my grandmother. She couldn't pass it on to her own descendants, for they were a rather bloodthirsty lot, and she didn't place even an ounce of trust in them," her voice became tinged with specks of pride as she continued.  
  
"The prophecy is written in words only a fifth degree scholar could understand, so I'll lay it out in laymen's terms. There are three tokens: Black, White, and Gray. Nobody has even the slightest clue of their shape or their location, and if any do then they're keeping mightily quiet about it. One of all sides must work together to achieve this goal: a former black, a former white, and one whose lineage doesn't originate from either. That's where you come in Kagome," she smiled at Kagome's perplexed look as she continued.  
  
"Midoriko's most prized possession was the Mirror of Versitude. I'm not exactly sure what it does, but it allowed her to locate the 'other- worldian' of her choice, which coincidentally was Kagome here. She requested that the mirror be burned with her body, and her requests were directly filled. Somehow she arranged for the mirror to regenerate in your world, Kagome, which I assume is how you arrived here," she paused to allow Kagome's jerky nod.  
  
"You must aide us in our search. Once we have all three tokens, we must use them to call upon Midoriko's spirit who, we hope, will aide us in the next section of our task. It may take ages to complete, but once we accomplish our goal, the world will once again be filled with color, and hopefully the common bond of victory will seal the wounds of pride and allow peace to reign once more, at least amongst the majority," she added ruefully.  
  
"Wow," Kagome silenced thoughtfully, subconsciously weighing her options in the shortest of time spans. "What's the danger level?" she inquired reluctantly, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.  
  
Sango bristled at her statement. "Kagome, the danger level is quite high," she ignored the stern glares she was receiving from both Miroku and Kaede. "What? There's no reason to sugarcoat it. Kagome, this task could very well be the death of you, but we're all well versed in combat, and we'll do our best to protect you," she finished softly, shooting Kagome an encouraging smile. "We don't want to force you into anything, and we know this is all rather sudden, but we really do need to move quickly".  
  
"Right," Kagome nodded meekly. "Can you give me the night to think it over? I'm sorry if it's a burden but this is all happening really fast. Just 24 hours ago I was on a plane to Kyoto, and now I'm told that I'm the key to saving an alternate universe?" she chuckled dryly.  
  
Miroku nodded without a moment's hesitation. "Of course, Lily. I'm actually surprised you haven't driven yourself into a panicking frenzy by now. I probably would've, and I'm said to be the picture of serenity," he ignored Sango's scoff echoing in the background.  
  
"Thanks," Kagome smiled gratefully at him, though she still hadn't driven the night's earlier events from her mind, and therefore still sat primly as far away from Miroku as she could scoot. She glanced up at Inuyasha to see his outlook on the situation, and she couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter when she saw he lay fast asleep, his lips slightly parted as his head lolled to one side and a speck of drool hovered on his upper lip as he slumbered.  
  
Looks like it's gonna be a long night... 


	6. Dinner is Served

Disclaimer: If Inuyasha were mine I would've killed him and kept his ears in a jar to poke at my leisure because that's just the kind of bitch I am.  
  
A/N: Finally! An update! What can I say... I decided to sit down and force myself to write this thing, so it may not have come out very good, but I suppose its better 'n nothin. And to all you Americans out there... happy July 4th!  
  
Morgana - Thanks for catching it, I was hoping I'd edited all of the "Lily's" out. Being a procrastinator I had an English assignment to write a story, and by the last minute I couldn't think of anything good so I just changed the names in this one (didn't have to be complete...). Of course, being an idiot I'd forgotten that I hadn't yet posted Chapter 5 of this story so I was forced to go through it and change all the names BACK again (and you have no idea how painstakingly slow that went)...thanks for the review!  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Dinner is Served  
  
The detailed glass patterns outlining the delicate window structure grew dark in misty fog as a shadowy black overtook the night sky, the pale white stars contrasting well with the black sky above it as they danced across its depths. The moon shone tranquilly above the lands below, and Kagome found a surprising comfort in the familiarity of its color. A lone light gray hand perched carefully on the windowpane, absentmindedly tracing the delicate patterns with sleek and confident fingertips. A regretful sigh traveled subconsciously from the girl's slightly parted once rosy lips and mingled with the breezy air for a moment before dancing lightly across her skin, its gentle caress causing the tiny hairs on the smooth surface to bristle in recognition. The hand dropped stealthily to the girl's lap, resting tranquilly on her exposed knee which peeked out dangerously from under the once emerald green uniform skirt which had warmed her legs for so many years.  
  
"It's freezing in here," Kagome stated bluntly, though not at such a volume where her somewhat blurry voice would be audible to the mysterious ears of the nighttime sky. "I'll bet that Inuyasha fellow hasn't even thought to install air conditioning in here. He's so selfish, he's probably gone and installed it in his own room, completely ignoring the fact that a 'guest room' serves a purpose, and that purpose is to house his guest, not that he'd ever receive any company with that arrogant and vulgar demeanor he's constantly putting out," she mumbled crossly before flopping back onto the silky sheets below her with a barely audible 'thump', causing the rumpled covers to shift slightly from their original positions. Her head lay cradled softly against the cotton white pillow, the beaded designs prickling her scalp as her midnight black hair parted to allow the contact.  
  
"Oh, who am I kidding? I'm just feeling slightly wistful is all. I mean yesterday I had all these hopes and dreams of becoming a legendary artist crowding my brain, and today I find out that my lifetime aspiration was a lie, and possibly my talent as well, since I was only accepted in that darned school in the first place because of my supposed 'otherworldly cause,'" she heaved a melancholy sigh before allowing her head to loll slightly to the left, so that it was only partially supported by the feathery pillow beneath her.  
  
"I wonder what sort of advice Yuka would give me right now. Wait that's no good, with a guy as supposedly "hot" as Inuyasha, at least in Yuka's eyes I'll bet, she'd probably tell me to turn up the charm and try to get laid, while at the moment Kaede seems more of an appealing choice for a date. Maybe Souta would have some good advice," she closed her soft gray eyes and let the thoughts of her (in her mind's eye) pest of a brother cloud her thoughts. She imagined his silky brown hair and soft, naïve doey eyes which could usually succeed into sweet talking both Kagome and her mother into anything of his choosing. His rumpled clothing which oftentimes never matched, and his black and blue baseball cap that he'd won on their vacation to America at least half a year ago and barely removed since. He seemed to smile down at her from her vision and parted his lips to speak, which at the moment were coated in the crumbs of what appeared to be homemade chocolate chip, Kagome's own special recipe.  
  
"Hey Sis, how 'ya doin? You certainly seem to have a knack for attracting trouble, I think it may have to do with that little thing I'd like to call 'karma'," he snorted gleefully before continuing, "Anyhow just bake that guy some of your special cookies. No man can resist cooking that good, especially since it's the only thing you've ever been any good at, other then that 'art' stuff which to me looks like you threw up all over your canvas and looking at it usually makes me want to throw up all over you. Oh, and another thing, take up that "mission" of yours, since fighting sounds like it'd be a big part of it, and it'd be awesome if you could come home looking like Arnold Schwar... er.. Schwartg...erm.. that guy who kept appearing on the telly in the U.S. Good luck Kagome!"  
  
Kagome let out a remorseful sigh before rolling over in the other direction, a teasing lock of raven hair hanging mercilessly in front of her eyelids. "Thanks a lot, Souta," she muttered cantankerously before allowing a more uplifting giggle to float through her parched lips. "Hmm, well if not Souta or Yuka, what about mom? I could always count on her to point me in the right direction, a little too often sometimes if you want my opinion," she smirked before allowing her eyelids to shield her eyes from the darkness once again, which in turn allowed her brain to fully concentrate on picturing her beloved mother. She stifled a giggle as the picture of a slightly frumpy middle aged woman floated through her mind, hand clutching a broom and piercing brown eyes twinkling merrily as they seemed to brighten at Kagome's presence.  
  
"Hello Kagome, dear. You've certainly gotten yourself into quite a predicament, but if you want my advice, which I'm sure you probably don't, just give these new opportunities a chance. Sure it may not have been what you'd expected to do with your life in the next four years, but honey, these people are in desperate need of your help right now, and this new opportunity could do wonders for opening up your mind to new ideas and cultures," Kagome snorted at this. "As for this Inuyasha fellow, just be a friend to him, and given time, I'm sure he'll open up to you. What sane human being can resist an open invitation for friendship from such a nice girl?" she beamed before her eyes narrowed and took on a more sinister appearance. "BUT NO SEX. Got it, Kagome? At least not before any weddings, and no weddings before you return home," Kagome could've sworn she saw sparks emitting from the woman's usually cheerful eyes before she reverted back to her original state. "Have fun dear!"  
  
Kagome let out an uncertain chuckle before shifting in an attempt to obtain a more comfortable position. Seeing that her attempts were futile she gave a last half-hearted shrug and lay as close to the edge of the soft, squeaky mattress as possible, letting a sleek and graceful arm drape over the edges, her fingers drumming a steady rhythm upon the firm wooden bed frame. "I need an asprin," she said absentmindedly with an exaggerated yawn, "but seeing as Inuyasha isn't exactly the most approachable of people, I might as well make an attempt to get some shut-eye," she allowed her soft eyes to slowly drift to a close, making an exaggerated show of tossing and turning a bit before finally settling down into the soft mattress, the blankets enveloping her slight form in a perfect fit and a few stray locks of raven hair tickling her nostrils. 'I wonder if this whole thing has been a dream...I'll bet that's it. Tomorrow I'll wake up and my mom will be yelling at me to get to school, or Souta will come whining to me about baking more chocolate chip cookies, or else I'll wake up in the hospital since Kanna could very well be some sort of martial arts master who found my pressure points and knocked me unconscious, but then that weird Hojo advisor was really a member of the F.B.I and he broke into my room and had a huge showdown with Kanna while the rest of the students sat around chanting "FIGHT! FIGHT" and the teachers sat in the background conversing about the artistic merit of murder," her eyelids fluttered open and she blinked silently a few times before allowing a nervous giggle to pass through her lips. "All right, I definitely need a good night's sleep," she raised her arms to the sky in a tired gesture before letting them flop back down at her sides.  
  
'Too bad I couldn't stay with Sango and Kaede, I'll bet the two of them would've been much better company then this Inuyasha fellow,' her eyes fastened shut tightly as she allowed her mind to drift back to the earlier events of the evening...  
  
O.O  
  
"MMM, Kaede, this is absolutely delicious! I hate to say it, but you're even a better cook then my mother, though she'd skin me alive if she heard me admit it," Kagome beamed cheerfully as she returned to enjoying the delicacy placed before her.  
  
"Thank you, child, I'm glad to hear you like it. Some of us," she glanced meaningfully in Inuyasha's direction, "would do well to pick up some of your manners," she narrowed her slightly beady eyes at Inuyasha's will to ignore her sarcasm and continue picking at his food, which he didn't exactly seem to be relishing. "This dish was once known as "salmon", a mighty beast who took to the treacherous waters which Sango and I were forced to scope out in hopes of retrieving it," she stole a glance at Sango whose attention seemed to be elsewhere, preferably on the task of keeping her cheeks from growing crimson at Miroku's increasingly close proximity.  
  
"You know Sango," Miroku choked out between mouthfuls which seemed to be entering his mouth a bit too rapidly for good health in Kaede's opinion, "I've been working on another poem especially for you, which I'm sure will steal your heart away and force you to abandon your current home and come live with me in my ever so lonely and humble domain where we shall spend the rest of eternity with our many children and deliciously cooked salmon," Miroku smirked innocently in Sango's direction who proceeded to scoot cautiously towards Kagome, who in turn stifled a giggle and shifted closer to Inuyasha in an attempt to allow Sango's endeavors. Inuyasha on the other hand wasn't paying much attention to his friends antics, rather to the girl whose proximity was coming just a bit too close for comfort.  
  
"Don't I get a say in this?" Sango retorted smartly, praying to the gods above that any hints of her obvious embarrassment weren't apparent on her porcelain skin. "Last I heard wandering straight into the beast's lair is never a very wise decision," she finished with a teasing smirk and a wink of her piercing gray eyes, which Kagome was almost certain had once been a deep, penetrating brown.  
  
"She got you there Miroku," Kagome chuckled lightheartedly as she gestured to Miroku with the prongs of her fork, vaguely wondering how on Earth such an obviously prehistoric era got a hold of modern kitchenware, but dismissing the thought as unimportant. She glanced up at Inuyasha curiously, inquisitive as to why he hadn't participated in the conversation once all evening. She drew back in an expression of pure surprise when her gaze found his scrutinizing gray pupils intertwined with her own in a heated gaze, as if he were analyzing her, no, memorizing her. His eyes narrowed a bit in disgust and his lips pursed angrily as he shifted until he was facing in the opposite direction, still appearing furious at something.  
  
"You know," he began, and while he appeared to be conversing with the wooden planks adorning the wall, Kagome knew he was addressing her, "You can stop being so obvious, and I'll have you know that I'm not quite that easy to seduce," he spat out bitterly, completely unaware of the response his statement was to ensue from an obviously shocked Kagome whose eyebrows had been raised in an expression of complete astonishment, her lips parted slightly in bafflement before the words had an opportunity to sink in.  
  
"WHAT?" she bellowed, obviously enraged as her hands began to clench dangerously by her sides, "What in heaven's name are you talking about, you pervert? I've barely said a word to you all night, you haven't the right nor proof to accuse me of such a thing," she spat crossly before shooting him a final glare of loathing.  
  
"Oh, so you think I haven't NOTICED how you've been "unintentionally" drawing nearer every three fucking seconds that pass by? What do you take me for?" he narrowed his eyes patronizingly as he turned to face her, his arms still folded neatly across his chest.  
  
"Somebody who draws conclusions too easily, that's what!" Kagome's voice rose to reach an all time high, and Sango marveled at her ability to hit octaves she hadn't known existed. "What sort of nutcase would be attracted to somebody they barely know and whose treated them like a jerk in the short time since they met!" she wrinkled her nose in slight agitation as Inuyasha yawned exaggeratedly before leaning back against the sturdy wooden planks, lowering himself until he was sitting Indian style with his arms never leaving their original position across his chest.  
  
Seeing as a retort wasn't about to come anytime soon, Miroku interjected with a familiar smirk. "Well I for one would, if she was hot enough," he spoke brightly, seemingly unaware of the chaos unfolding before him as he forked the last bite of salmon into his ravenously awaiting mouth.  
  
"Well then I guess we've found a match for you Malome," Inuyasha replied with his eyes clamped shut tightly and his lips drawing upward in a sarcastic smirk. A deep and penetrating growl rose from within the depths of Kagome's throat, and this time it was Miroku's turn to marvel at Kagome's obvious range of tone. 'She must have wonderful singing capabilities,' he smiled inwardly at the thought of Kagome atop a newly constructed stage, her voice swaying throughout the scales as she belted out her newest single, "Miroku, My Rampant Sex Monkey" and a tear leaked out the corner of his amiable eyes as he stared appreciatively at her from behind an ornamental curtain with velvet as red as the blood of one whose been pricked by the sharpest of thorns. The vision was so entertaining that Miroku almost missed Kagome's retort to Inuyasha's accusations, but luckily Kagome's screech brought him out of his reveries, whether this was to his comfort or dismay he wasn't quite sure.  
  
"MY NAME IS KAGOME! KA-GO-ME! And you'll do well to learn it too, or you'll never have to worry about women "seducing" you again!" she screeched deafeningly before breathing inwardly a few times and allowing herself to relax a bit, which was apparent when a lighthearted grin claimed its usual spot on her lips, representing the return of her cheerful demeanor for which the entire group (save Inuyasha) was quite grateful.  
  
"Now now children," Miroku began in an attempt to cut through the awkward tension suffocating the occupants of the tiny hut, "save the argument for the bedroom," he winked coyly at both Kagome and Inuyasha who in turn drew back, obviously repulsed, and Inuyasha had to suppress a chuckle as Sango glanced peculiarly at him from the corner of her eye.  
  
"Miroku!" she heaved an exaggerated sigh and allowed her eyes to casually roll up to rest below the roof of her eyelids.  
  
"What?" Miroku shrugged defensively. "Where I come from argument has always been considered as a form of foreplay," he ducked, just barely missing Sango's outstretched fingertips.  
  
"Boy, does that explain a lot," Inuyasha muttered cynically, shaking his head at the antics of his companions before shifting his gaze to focus in on Kaede, who (now that she'd finally completed the task of whipping up a second batch of salmon for the group) shook her head in utter annoyance as she set her spatula on the musty floorboards.  
  
"You're all a troupe of fools, you excluded of course," she gestured toward Kagome with a wave of her hand and allowed the hand to linger in midair a moment before dropping back to rest in perfect alignment with her spatula. She kept her eyes trained steadfast on Kagome as she continued, "I wouldn't waste much of my precious time around this lot if I were you or you'll end up as obviously corrupted and foolish as the rest," she smiled teasingly and Kagome resisted the urge to beam at the obvious love reflected in the older woman's eyes for the company surrounding them. It was blatantly obvious that the group shared very tight knit bonds with each other, and Kaede seemed to play the part of their overbearing mother figure in their circle, though she was most obviously the glue holding them together.  
  
"Old hag," Inuyasha muttered disdainfully, apparently not much caring whether or not his companions caught his insult since the volume was enough to send four pairs of ears swiveling hastily in his direction, with the exception of Miroku who only appeared merely curious.  
  
'Of course, I'm beginning to doubt whether this useless lunk of flesh even has the capacity to feel love for somebody,' Kagome inwardly rolled her eyes as she glared menacingly at the man before her. "Inuyasha!" she admonished. "That was uncalled for".  
  
"I heard that, ye ungrateful mongrel," Kaede shook her head with an elongated sigh before running a leathered hand through her stringy graying locks. "No second helpings for you," she pursed her lips as she shifted the plate containing the appetizing meal to a spot on the ground which she was certain lay just out of his reach. Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly before allowing a single eye to flutter open and fix heatedly on Kaede.  
  
"Oh, cry me a river woman," he said, his voice layered thick with bouts of sarcasm and his arms never once leaving their position folded neatly across his chest and thrust haphazardly in his blackened sleeves. "I never asked for first helpings of that slop to begin with," Kagome's head began to throb in response to Inuyasha's unnecessary comments, and she drew a hand to her forehead to steady herself while managing to make an exasperated strangled noise from the back of her throat.  
  
"You're exhausting," she shook her head morosely as she glanced at Miroku, Sango, and Kaede in sheer bafflement. "I can't believe you three put up with him on a daily basis".  
  
Miroku, as was his nature, shook his head back in boisterous laughter as he slanted comfortably against his self proclaimed area, which of course both Sango and Kagome were welcome to enter at any time of their choosing. His jet black hair ruffled gently as he subconsciously blew it out of his face in annoyance, and at the moment Kagome could've sworn he looked slightly familiar, though she couldn't put her finger on where she'd seen him before. "Oh, relax, no offense to you Kaede," he added quickly when the elder's beady eyes narrowed in his direction, "He doesn't eat much of anything if it doesn't fall into one of two elite categories: Ramen and Desserts, the former preferred over the latter of course," Miroku finished pointedly, and Inuyasha gave a swift nod in response, his hands finally withdrawing from the depths of his coat sleeves and resting casually at his sides, his nails drumming an unfamiliar rhythm on the flooring which echoed throughout the base of the cozy shack and pulsed boldly through Kagome's delicate eardrums.  
  
"Damn straight," Inuyasha smirked haughtily. "Neither of which you know much about, I'm sure," his voice took on a tone of silent competition and Kagome fought the immense urge to burst out into laughter. If only he had any idea...deciding not to take the bait, Kagome shrugged and turned pleasantly back to Kaede who appeared to be watching the scene with great interest.  
  
"So anyhow Kaede, do the four of you live here?" Kagome inquired in an attempt to keep conversation from heading straight downhill. She nudged her plate to the side slightly to signify that she had completed her meal, and Kaede smiled inwardly at the younger girl's tactics. 'Yes, she will do quite well amongst us'.  
  
"Oh, of course not child. We have difficulty enough fitting in here just to enjoy a hearty meal, using this place for shelter as well would be unbearable," she shook her head repulsively at the thought as she cocked her head meaningfully toward both Sango and Miroku, the latter who had a familiar look appearing in his responsive gray eyes and the former who braced herself for Miroku's next (and most likely perverted) response.  
  
"Oh, I dunno. If both Sango and Kagome used me as a mattress, I think that arrangement may work out quite nicely, don't you agree?" he flashed his teeth innocently, and Sango groaned in annoyance, lowering her head to cup morosely in her outstretched fingers as she heaved a lengthy sigh at the man's all too familiar antics.  
  
"Ignoring that," Kaede began purposefully, "That does pose a slight problem. Where'll young Kagome be spending the night?" she raised an eyebrow questioningly and Sango glanced upward in response.  
  
"Well I think that should be Kagome's choice, seeing as wherever she chooses is hopefully gonna end up her hectic little home for quite awhile," she smiled teasingly at Kagome as she pushed a lock of once chocolate hair behind her ears. Kagome grinned in response to Sango's statement but suddenly felt a bit queasy at the prospect of the decisions she'd need to make by the coming day. She decided it'd be best to put it out of her mind for the moment and concentrate on the matters at hand.  
  
"Well," Kagome heaved an elongated sigh in an attempt to stall for time, "If it's all right, I'd much appreciate being able to live with you Sango," she smiled inwardly as Sango seemed to positively glow at her statement. "Of course I have no problem living with Kaede as well," she cocked her head in the older woman's direction whose round cheecks seemed to become ever so rosier at Kagome's invitation.  
  
"Well actually," Sango began hesitantly, her mouth drawn up in an expression of insecurity as she fidgeted with the folds adorning her clothing, "Kaede and I live together".  
  
Kagome gave a joyous sigh tinged with relief as she glanced methodically at the two women. "So I'll be staying with you two?" she asked to concrete the arrangement and cocked her head in bewilderment when the two women glanced meaningfully at one another before glancing back at their newfound guest. "Is there a problem?" Kagome spoke up, her voice laced with a slight tinge of uncertainty.  
  
"Well you see," Sango piped up, "I live with both Kaede and my younger brother Kohaku who take up the already limited amount of bedding as well as the living room couch," she finished reluctantly, "So unless you want to sleep in a bathtub or on the kitchen floor....," she trailed off uncertainly and glanced at Kagome to see her reaction to this setback. To her immense surprise the younger girl just shrugged and turned back to Miroku, who had been keeping immeasurably quiet in the last few minutes for reasons it only took Sango a few seconds to fully grasp.  
  
'Of course,' Sango's chest felt slightly suffocated, as if a tiny rock were waiting in the depths of her lungs to release itself into her heart where it would continue to grow until it had succeeded in consuming her entirely. 'I should've guessed. Miroku obviously wants Kagome to stay with him, but he doesn't want me to end up miserable. I don't know whether I should be offended or flattered,' the pathetic attempt at humor left her insides feeling even less optimistic. 'Oh, cheer up Sango!' she said inwardly in an attempt to bring herself from the depths of despair. 'It's nothing to get upset over; I mean it's not like you have any claim to Miroku, and you don't even like the guy! Right?' her heart plummeted as she reflected back on her inner sentiments. 'Oh who am I kidding...'.  
  
Inuyasha snorted from his respective corner and inwardly rolled his eyes at the obvious dilemma unraveling before him. "You two are so bleeding obvious. If you're going to be that dense, the chick probably wouldn't be too safe with you anyhow. I'll take her," he smirked dryly, pleased with himself for settling the matter though noticing with an inward chuckle that Miroku looked vaguely disappointed with the arrangement.  
  
"But," the dark haired man began in protest before realizing that all possible arguments were futile, "Never mind. That's an excellent suggestion, Inuyasha. Didn't know you had it in you," he winked coyly at the hanyou who blinked a few times in repulsion before curling his fingers back into the palm of his hand and pursing his lips, a sure sign of the hanyou's unmistakable fury.  
  
"Now listen you," he began lividly, "I'd rather jump into a pit of piranhas then even think about having to spend more then three seconds with this bitch, but you know as well as I do that her existence is vital to us, so why don't you shut up and stop pulling these perverted remarks out of your ass," he spat out crossly, seemingly unaware of the obviously perturbed female bristling beside him as she blew a lock of raven hair from teasingly dangling before her eyelids.  
  
"May I please be excused?" Kagome asked unsteadily, obviously attempting (yet failing miserably) to keep her voice from wavering. She drew herself up to her knees and finally up onto shaky legs as she strolled morosely out the wallpaper thin door without even a second glance back at her open mouthed companions.  
  
"Stupid Inuyasha," she muttered, her voice shaky as she tried to keep the moist tears from escaping the corners of her watering eyelids, "Why does he have to be so infuriating? Isn't it enough that I've been yanked out of my home, away from my family, my friends, my dreams? Is it really neccasary for him to just show up out of the blue and insult me at every turn when all I want is to make peace with him and get on with my life?" she sighed wearily as she sunk down upon a hollow gray log and stared wistfully up at the night sky. It was almost something out of a painting to the young girl, especially one with such an artistic nature.  
  
The sky was black as a raven's wing, a deep penetrating shade that Kagome knew she'd never laid eyes on in the course of her short lifetime, and the surrounding areas looked bleak and dark, almost something taken straight out of the creepiest of horror films. An owl made its prescence known in the form of an indignant hoot, and the nighttime breeze tickled her delicate skin as she absorbed the scene before her. The stars were a pale white and scattered haphazardly across the black depths of the sky, the colors contrasting with such a clash that made the overall appearance that much more appealing to the younger girl below, as the entire manifestation gave the feel of a familiar, comforting blanket securing the lands below, the stars being tiny, pinpricked holes poked through its surface to allow the universes the opportunity to watch over their fellow neighbors. Kagome felt almost as if inexplicable warmth settled down upon her shoulders, and for a brief moment she felt safe, protected, and most of all cherished.  
  
The comforting silence was broken, however, when the cracking sounds of snapping twigs came from behind her, and she was drawn from her mystical reveries with a melancholy sigh. "I wish I could go home...," she muttered morosely as she brought a weary hand to drag across her eyelids, wiping the few tears strewn across her cheeks then shaking her hand toward the sky for a moment to allow the dampness to disintegrate.  
  
"You can," a voice spoke up from alongside her and she glanced up to see a familiar figure settling down beside her. "I wish you wouldn't, though. A fair amount of people are counting on you, and I'd feel rather disappointed with myself if I knew the reason you left was because you couldn't stand my best friend. I'd probably have to rethink my judgment a bit when it comes to choosing friends, and I'd end up so picky that I'd become a recluse forced to live off hermit crabs. Not a future I've particularly spent my life yearning for, so for my sake, Kagome, don't give up on us yet," Miroku smiled amiably down at the girl before running his fingers through his silky black hair, and Kagome smiled thankfully up at him in response before staring uncertainly back at her palms, unsure of whether or not to discuss her innermost thoughts with him before deciding it couldn't much hurt and drawing in a deep breath as preparation.  
  
"It's just that I really don't know where to go from here, y' know?" she stared quizzically up at the man who cocked his head in confusion at her inquiry, scratching his head a bit in bewilderment. Sensing that he didn't understand the implications of her previous statement, Kagome concentrated hard on her fingertips to keep her immense insecurity from entering her voice.  
  
"I mean, I know so many people are counting on me and it'd be really selfish to let them all down but," she paused for a moment, hesitant on whether to continue, "I miss my family, my friends, heck, I miss my life overall. I mean if I actually had gone to an art school things wouldn't be so different, but at least I'd be able to keep in contact with them, and I probably would've made new friends as well, but here, I just don't know. I mean to hear that my very life is at stake, and I may possibly never see my family again," she sighed with remorse, "It's just a decision I didn't think I'd have to make at this point in my life, or ever for that matter," she shook her head a bit as the mysterious night air seemed to have taken a particular liking to swirling the tangled strands of her unkempt locks around, tantalizingly dangling them in front of her for a moment before allowing them to dance freely around her face. She glanced worriedly up at Miroku, awaiting a response, but he seemed to be immersed in thought for a moment, as if trying to fully grasp and understand her situation before replying.  
  
"Kagome, I know it's a lot to think about, but while I barely know you I'm confident in your abilities. And for however long it takes to conquer our obstacles, we'll be your family in all respective purposes, and your friends. While sacrifice may not always be the easiest course of action, it's oftentimes the most rewarding. I learnt that the hard way," he gestured toward the sloppily constructed shack hovering in the distance, "We all did".  
  
"Oh right," Kagome broke in, remembering the earlier tale of the Grays, but deciding not to pursue her idle wonderings for the moment.  
  
"Anyhow, Kagome, I'm confident that you'll choose the path that's best for you in the end, whichever road that may be. Just remember that I'm always here if you need somebody to confide in, or Sango, or even Kaede. And while Inuyasha may not be the most approachable of people, he may turn out to be strikingly different then the person you pegged him to be," he smirked in recollection of his first encounters with Inuyasha. "Besides, it's no surprise that he'd be slightly disoriented at the moment, what with the whole situation with," he paused for a moment, looking rather flustered as if he'd let on too much about his hanyou companion.  
  
"Situation with what?" Kagome cocked her head curiously as was her nature. "What's wrong with Inuyasha?"  
  
"Nothing, Kagome. Nothing you need to worry about at the moment," he glanced furtively at the shack to reassure himself that nobody had been around to witness his slip of the tongue. "Well, I best get back. Heaven knows what sort of violations Sango will accuse me of," he grunted and rose to his feet, outstretching a hand to Kagome which she immediately grasped and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet . Miroku released her momentarily and the two proceeded their walk back in silence, Kagome glancing at Miroku out of the corner of her eye every few seconds before finally working up the courage to voice her gratitude.  
  
"Miroku?"  
  
"Yeah?" he asked nonchalantly, briefly glancing down at her before continuing ahead with her struggling to match his long strides.  
  
"Thanks," he stopped for a moment to regard her, and while Miroku couldn't see it under the cover of darkness, Kagome positively beamed at him as the alluring sounds of the night made up the background music to the heavy moment, a chilling breeze crossing the air, causing both parties to shiver involuntarily.  
  
After regarding her for a moment, as if assessing her he sent her a cheerful grin in return. "You're welcome, Kagome. You're very welcome".  
  
O.O  
  
'Yup,' Kagome thought to herself as she shifted for a final time on the comforting cotton. 'I think I may actually grow to like it here, if I give it a chance. And as for advice?' her heart warmed as she recalled her conversation with Miroku. 'I may not need to go running home to mother after all,' she snuggled deeper into the slightly stiff pillow as she allowed her eyes to slowly drift closed.  
  
'Still,' she thought with a slight yawn, 'I can't help but wonder what Miroku meant about Inuyasha's....situ," another yawn, "ation. Not really any of my business, anyhow...," was her last coherent thought before she relinquished all holds on her consciousness and allowed herself to slowly drift off into a deep slumber.  
  
A/N: Before anybody says it, NO this is NOT a MirKag. Sango's the only one for Miroku in this story, and of course Kagome's the one for Inuyasha. But keep this in mind: while we may know that Miroku and Kagome won't end up more then friends, Sango doesn't.  
  
Next chapter: Kagome finally makes her decision (like we don't already know what that'll be ;-)) and finally has a decent conversation with Inuyasha! Yay!  
  
Please review!!   



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